A collaborative COVID response: a renal team and patient charities, working in partnership for the kidney community

Swansea Bay University Health Board

People with kidney disease are extremely prone to COVID-19. Prior to vaccination, UK renal registry data shows 1 in 5 patients on dialysis who contracted COVID-19 during the first wave died within 14 days. To bolster protection and awareness, a project was initiated by the Renal Team at Swansea Bay UHB to keep people with kidney disease informed throughout the COVID pandemic. In collaboration with kidney charities, Popham Kidney Support, Kidney Care UK and Kidney Wales, the Renal team delivered a COVID-19 awareness campaign. It informed people about how essential kidney care would be provided throughout the pandemic, and emphasised the need to access vaccination and COVID treatments.

A dedicated website, webinars and digital education material were produced to inform patients. This was supported by direct telephone to renal pharmacists to guide vaccine and treatment decisions. For those people on haemodialysis who attend a hospital three times a week, a dedicated vaccination programme was established in dialysis units across South West Wales.

Over 200 patients attended the live series of webinars, with over 60 questions submitted for Q+A to the panel of experts. The recorded webinar allowed more patients to access the information at a time of their choosing or to share with family and friends.

Within one week of the COVID-19 vaccine being available, all patients on unit haemodialysis in South West Wales had their first vaccine. Over 99% of patients consented and received the vaccine. None had to attend a mass vaccination centre. This success proved that, despite the rurality of the regional service, a dedicated vaccine programme at scale and pace was possible for renal units across the UK to follow suit.

Lee White

lee.white@wales.nhs.uk