Honour for top kidney clinic

17 October 2007

THE Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel has won a national award and a £5,000 prize for a service that has halved waiting times for chronic kidney disease patients.

Its clinic, which has been open for a year, won the British Journal of Renal Medicine Innovations Award.

Consultant nephrologist Alistair Chesser said: "The new clinic has halved waiting times, patients have more time with specialist healthcare professionals, and unnecessary hospital visits have been eliminated.

"The key achievement of this clinic is that more chronic kidney disease patients are getting the care and advice they need."

He added: "Without increasing staffing levels, the capacity to see new patients has increased by 40 per cent, and waiting times have reduced from 13 to six weeks.

"We are honoured to have won this award, and look forward to using the £5,000 prize towards raising the awareness of chronic kidney disease."

Previously, patients had an initial hospital appointment for assessment and tests, and then returned to hospital to receive the results.

The new system invites patients to be seen by the consultant nurse who assesses individual needs. Advice is given about chronic kidney disease and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Most patients have then gone on to receive their care and annual check-ups in the community, though some patients require additional hospital appointments with a consultant nephrologist.

Of the 208 patients the clinic has treated since its beginning, all rated the service as either good or excellent when surveyed.