Jane Macdonald
Vice-President of British Renal
Society & Secondment at Renal Workforce Redesign
In 2002 the British Renal Society
(BRS) published recommendations from the National Renal Workforce Planning
Group.1 This document captured the established workforce in the
United Kingdom and was able to identify key gaps in workforce provision e.g.
clinical psychology and pharmacy.
At that time such notable gaps were
not as apparent in some professional groups, such as Renal Transplant Co-ordinators
and Haemodialysis nurses, however prevalence studies, simulation modelling and
data returned to the Renal Registry all pointed towards a large increase in
people affected by renal disease and subsequent dialysis dependant populations.
Predicted staff requirements for 2010 were summarised to ensure that
future-planning cycles could begin to address this, and a workforce survey
issued by the Renal Registry this year will begin to identify how progress has
been made in this area.
Workforce planning needs to reflect
fast and responsive changes to demographics, technological advances and the
integrated delivery patterns that Part 2 of the Renal NSF requires.2 The expected growth in early recognition of
CKD means there is also a need to change the workforce structure to effectively
deliver appropriate management in an fitting setting. Whether the patient
pathway is towards dialysis management or palliative support and care, the
people affected by this diagnosis require access to a multi-professional
competent team. Already new roles and teams are emerging in this field which
had not been identified in the survey of 2002, which imply that the workforce
is beginning to increase or re-design to meet these demands.
To look only inwards for solutions
to this is both short sighted and inappropriate. Those working in Primary Care
settings are naturally rising to this large challenge, where the NHS and Social
Care models need to integrate. In its widest remit, the ‘Supporting People with
Long Term Conditions Model’3 recognises that all those involved in
delivering care require joint working, and its first stated priority is the
introduction of case management. In recognition of this, a subsequent
publication entitled ‘Liberating the talents of nurses who care for people with
Long term conditions’4 begins to outline how this might be
delivered.
Early collaboration in renal
management networks across primary and secondary care settings, and in some
cases with other Long Term Conditions groups, to ensure early identification of
those at risk is vital. This will also ensure that local priorities and local
plans can design the renal healthcare workforce required.
References
1.
BRS,
The Renal Team: A Multi-Professional Renal Workforce Plan For Adults and
Children with Renal Disease, 2002.
2.
National
Service Framework for Renal Services – Part Two: Chronic kidney disease, acute
renal failure and end of life care, DoH, 2005.
3.
Supporting
People with Long Term Conditions, DoH, 2005.
4.
Supporting
People with Long Term Conditions: Liberating the Talents of Nurses who Care for
People with Long Term Conditions, DoH, 2005.