A £2 million prevention programme has launched in south west London aimed at increasing awareness and earlier detection of chronic kidney disease, preventing complications and improving care.
Kidney disease has been called a silent threat as many people do not know they have problems until the disease is at a serious stage.
An increase in cases of chronic kidney disease, in London and nationally, has led to an increase in the number of people who need dialysis treatment, which will put pressure on services during the coming decade. As anyone who has experienced dialysis will know, it is a hard thing for someone to go through.
Through the project, GPs will proactively contact those at risk and encourage them to take the simple blood and urine tests to detect early-stage kidney disease.
Funded by NHS England, the new prevention programme brings together GPs, hospital consultants and local authority public health teams. The pilot is being launched in all six south west London boroughs.
People are at risk of kidney disease if they have other serious long-term conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease. The risk is higher again in older people and those of black and Asian heritage.
The two-year pilot programme is upskilling GPs to spot kidney disease early, while treatment is possible and before people need dialysis.
Getting the right medicines at the right time will prevent hospital admissions, dialysis – and patients from dying.
According to Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, GP and south west London’s renal clinical lead: “Through the project, GPs will proactively contact those at risk and encourage them to take the simple blood and urine tests to detect early-stage kidney disease.
“Suitable patients can then receive treatments to slow the progress of the disease. These include the drug Dapagliflozin, which can now be prescribed by local GPs – previously it was only available in hospital clinics.”
The programme also seeks to improve care for people who already have chronic kidney disease. Acknowledging that many people have kidney disease alongside other related conditions, such as diabetes and heart conditions, new clinics at St George’s and St Helier hospitals see people for a range of health problems in one place.
This means people will not need to attend multiple outpatient appointments, and that teams of different specialists can discuss all the factors affecting their health together.
St George’s Hospital consultant, Professor Debasish Banerjee explained the benefits of the project: “In our clinics we have seen the impact on patients where kidney disease has not been identified early. Getting the right medicines at the right time will prevent hospital admissions, dialysis – and patients from dying.
“With chronic kidney disease, it will take time to see the results, however, where kidney patients using these therapies have heart failure as well, we are seeing benefits in as little as six months. Though it’s a small population, we have seen a definite improvement with fewer hospital admissions in large clinical trials.”
My case is not straightforward; I keep the consultants on their toes, but I feel very well supported.
Renal patient Anita suffered multiple organ failure after surgery. After having periods of dialysis over several years she had a kidney transplant in 2019. Although doing well, she is seen in the clinic every three months, or as needed. She said: “My case is not straightforward; I keep the consultants on their toes, but I feel very well supported.
“The team coordinates my care, they talk to other specialisms, whether rheumatology or gastro, and keep each other in the loop so I don’t have to explain myself each time. They’re always considering the medication I’m on, looking at the whole picture. I feel taken care of, like renal is a family.”
The project includes an awareness-raising campaign with the theme ‘Be kind to your kidneys’, which targets those most at risk of chronic disease. It was developed by Wandsworth Council’s public health team working with residents, GPs, voluntary and community groups and involved visits to local markets to get people’s views.
A campaign toolkit, which launched on World Kidney Day 14 March 2024, provides information about reducing the risks of getting chronic kidney disease or worsening the condition in people already living with it.
Councillor Graeme Henderson, Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet Member for Health said: “Everybody needs to know about kidney disease and being kind to their kidneys. Knowing you are at risk is the first step towards making lifestyle changes; especially if you have any one of these noted risk factors – diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or obesity.”
Read more about Wandsworth Council’s ‘Be Kind to your Kidneys campaign.