Hospital Pharmacist
Vol 11 No 2 p45
February 2004

News summary

Renal failure is the subject of this month’s special feature (p49-61, PDF 80K). An article about promoting adherence in renal transplant patients is at p69-71 (PDF 75K)

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Related websites
DoH: Renal Homepage (more)

First part of renal services NSF published (... well, most of it)

Much of the first part of the National Service Framework for Renal Services was published last month. However, the guidance on medicines management, a key aspect for hospital pharmacists, is yet to be made available at the time of going to press. According to a Department of Health spokesman, it is to be published shortly.

Renal standards to be delivered by 2014 Access to information Patients with chronic kidney disease are to have access to information, enabling them to make informed decisions and an agreed care plan that supports them in managing their condition Preparation and choice Patients approaching established renal failure are to be prepared for renal replacement therapy early enough so that complications and disease progression are minimised and the choice of treatment is maximised Access surgery Surgery to give access for dialysis is to be timely and appropriate and monitored to achieve maximum longevity Dialysis Appropriate dialysis designed around their individual needs is to be delivered to patients throughout their lives Transplantation Patients likely to benefit from a kidney transplant are to receive a high quality service that supports them in managing their transplant and achieving the best quality of life

The body of the NSF sets out five standards to be delivered by the NHS by 2014 (see panel). For each standard, markers of good practice, to be used as performance indicators, are also described. These include medicine-related markers such as the effective treatment of anaemia to minimise disease progression and complications and, in transplantation, the appropriate use of anti-rejection treatment and preventive therapy to control infections. Immunosuppressant use is to follow National Institiute of Clinical Excellence guidelines, due to be issued in April.

Caroline Ashley, chair of the UK renal pharmacy group and principal pharmacist, renal services at the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, London told Hospital Pharmacist that the NSF is focused on meeting patients’ needs at a local level and provides pharmacists with opportunities to improve patient care, for example, through involvement in medication review clinics.

The first part of the renal NSF is available here [See “news in brief” for changes to the DoH’s web address]. The second part will cover the prevention of renal disease and care at the end of life.