Power to the People: Educate to Empower

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The For Kidneys Sake podcast series is brought to you by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and North West London Integrated Care Board (NWL NHS)

In this episode, Professor Jeremy Levy, Dr. Andrew Frankel, and clinical lead kidney nurse specialist Joana Teles discuss how to effectively educate and empower patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), focusing on delivering a CKD diagnosis with clarity and reassurance, addressing common misconceptions, and encouraging patient engagement during short consultations. Joanna highlights the importance of framing discussions around ‘kidney health’ rather than ‘kidney disease’ and shares practical tips for encouraging patients to take an active role in their care. Resources like the Know Your Kidneys education programme are vital tools for patient learning and support.

The discussion highlights that there are practical steps to help reduce fear and unnecessary worry so that patients can be reassured and empowered. For example, it is important to explain that the term ‘chronic’ describes the duration of the condition rather than its severity and to clarify that CKD stages are not comparable to cancer stages. To encourage patient involvement and understanding, Joana continues by outlining actions such as having regular ‘kidney health checks’ to monitor kidney function, protein levels, and blood pressure. The benefits of commonly used medications, such as Ramipril and SGLT2 inhibitors, are also explained. The conversation concludes by stressing the value of simple, actionable steps, such as keeping track of medications and bringing blood pressure readings to appointments, which can help patients feel more confident and engaged in managing their kidney health.

Top Three Takeaways:

1. Use clear, reassuring language to explain CKD and focus on maintaining kidney health.
2. Promote regular "kidney health checks" and educate patients on lifestyle and medication management.
3. Encourage small, actionable steps to increase patient engagement, such as participating in education programmes like Know Your Kidneys.

Resource Links:
NICE GUIDELINES [NG203] chronic kidney disease: assessment and management Overview | Chronic kidney disease: assessment and management | Guidance | NICE

Northwest London CKD guidelines for primary care: Chronic kidney disease (nwlondonicb.nhs.uk)

The purpose of this podcast is to inform and educate health care professionals working in the primary care and community setting. The content is evidence based and consistent with NICE guidelines and North West Guidelines available at the time of publication.

The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement.

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