Case study:

24 August 2007

Renal Outpatients Supportive Care Pathway in the West Midlands

Key points

Renal patients in the West Midlands who are nearing the end of their lives now have a supportive and palliative care pathway if they opt for conservative treatment.

The aim of the scheme is to allow patients to continue to receive the best care and to live well to the end of their lives.

The service is available for all patients diagnosed with established renal failure at an advanced stage, and referred for treatment to Heart of England Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The pathway was a joint initiative between the West Midlands Renal Network, the Pan Birmingham Palliative Care Network and the renal service at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust.

Completed over a two-month period, the aim was to create a document that contained all the information needed by the patient, carers and staff to ensure the patient was emotionally and clinically supported when they chose not to receive dialysis.

The first challenge in setting up and maintaining this pathway was getting people to recognise it was needed.

It is dependent on a multidisciplinary approach, with allied health professionals from different directorates within a trust working together.

Six other adult renal services across the West Midlands and one paediatric centre have now adopted the pathway, which is due for review in December 2007.