Better information and IT in view for kidney care

IT to support primary care staff whose work includes prevention of and treatment for kidney disease is a key component of the new Renal Services Information Strategy published this week.

The information strategy has been designed to support Part 2 of the National Service Framework (NSF) for Renal Services dealing with chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute renal failure (ARF) and end-of-life care.

Better public information about the prevention of kidney disease and information for patients living with chronic kidney problems also have a high profile in the strategy.

Health minister, Rosie Winterton, commented: “The information strategy is another positive step to support the NHS in delivering high quality renal care by ensuring that the right information is available at the right time for staff and patients. Patients need to know about their treatment options, the possible side effects and outcomes, and be encouraged to take part in decisions surrounding their treatment.

“The Renal NSF Part Two focused on providing the best quality treatment for patients with renal problems. The Information Strategy will support NHS staff in delivering that care.”

The strategy lists a series of national and local actions needed to improve services. These are divided into four ‘themes’: access to knowledge; information for direct care of the patient; information for secondary purposes and training and development.

Actions include:

• A national review of patient information needs dealing with all stages of kidney disease;

• An extension of the scope of the National electronic Library for Health’s Renal Specialist Library to include CKD, ARF and end of life care;

• NHS Direct Online to use NeLH information to develop web-based information about CKD, ARF, end of life care and healthy living;

• The Department of Health will commission a web-based “RenalPatientView” care plan to support people with CKD including those receiving end-of-life care. This will be used to inform the development of ‘HealthSpace’and provides potential for the functions to be adopted by the National Programme for IT, according to the strategy.

For GP practices, the strategy document says: “It would be good practice for GP staff to use their clinical information systems to support the identification, call and re-call of patients on their lists who may be at risk of renal disease and to undertake monitoring of adults diagnosed with CKD who fall within stages 1-3.”

Primary care organisations are also encouraged to ensure that teams treating patients with kidney disease have access to a range of decision support toools at the point of care in advance of electronic decision support being delivered by local service providers.

Link

Renal services information strategy: supporting part 2 of the NSF for renal disease