Renal Support Services
At SaTH, the renal supportive care team is made up of Sister Fern Morris and Sister Nicola Churm, and we cover Shrewsbury, Telford and Ludlow renal dialysis units, with close links with the home therapies teams. Our focus is to work in partnership with patients to enable them to live well; to empower patients to identify and achieve their preferred priorities for their present and future care, with the aim of maintaining and improving the quality of their life. We provide support of physical, psychological, and social symptoms of renal disease, and with the patient being central, we encourage care provision that is in keeping with individuals’ and their families’ needs, wishes and rights.
Supportive care is defined as, “care that helps the patient and their family to cope with their condition and its treatment, from pre-diagnosis, through the process of diagnosis and treatment, to cure, continuing illness or death and into bereavement. It helps the patient to maximise the benefits of treatment and to live as well as possible with the effects of the disease. It is accorded equal priority to diagnosis and ‘curative’ treatment,” (National Council for Palliative Care, 2006).
You can reach the team on the following:
Email: sath.renalsupportivecare@nhs.net
Telephone: 01743 261000 Ext. 3467
We are the Social Care coordinators based on the Renal Unit at RSH & PRH, we also cover the following: Ludlow / Peritoneal Dialysis/ Home Haemodialysis/ Conservative Care/ Transplanted / Pre-Dialysis and I/C Haemodialysis work with all renal consultants and Renal staff. The team consist of Gary Foxon Based at RSH and Rachel Williamson based at PRH.
The role of the Social Care Coordinator is to support the social care of the renal patients to the best of our ability. Helping with re-homing patients, or have homes adapted to meet their medical requirements and care packages to fit around their dialysis.
We also Cover the Renal ward 35 regarding any social issues that may arise. Improving patients’ quality of life through signposting and arranging support from services such as Age Concern/ Social services/ Community Occupational Therapy/ Department of Work and pensions. We can speak to these organisations on the patient’s behalf.
Our role as Social Coordinators is to relieve the patients of anxiety and stress due to the renal diagnosis, so they can focus on their dialysis treatment.
You can reach the team on the following:
Gary Foxon- Lead (RSH) Telephone: 01743 261000 Ext. 1219
Rachel Williamson (PRH) Telephone: 01743 261000 Ext. 4902
A Renal Dietetic service is provided to all renal patients at both Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital including predialysis, nephrotic, dialysis, acute kidney injury and transplant patients. Ludlow satellite unit is also covered.
This service is provided by 2 renal Dietitians: Marie Oakes and Abby Peat.
What is the role of a Renal Dietitian?
Renal Dietitians work closely with other members of the renal team including Consultants and Specialist Nurses. As your kidney function starts to reduce, waste products can build up in the blood e.g. urea, potassium and phosphate and you can also have excess fluid accumulate. This can make you feel unwell such as nauseous and lethargic.
The Dietitian will take into account your recent blood results, medical and social situation as well as your own food preferences and provide you with individualised dietary advice to help prevent the waste products building up in your blood. This can help to slow down deterioration to the kidney and can make you feel better. The diet will be tailored for you and every patient will have different dietary requirements, so what is advised for you may be different for someone else.
Doctors and health professionals will refer to eGFR (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate). This is a test that is used to assess how well your kidneys are working. It is approximately a percentage of normal kidney function. If your kidney disease gets worst and your eGFR continues to decrease, your diet may need to be adjusted therefore the initial advice can change and will be continually reviewed. Written dietary information will be provided for you to refer to at home.
As well as restricting certain foods, we also provide support for:
- Patients with a reduced appetite who may be unable to meet their nutritional requirements and maintain their weight
- Patients trying to lose weight
- Ensuring patients can achieve a suitable protein intake
- Managing fluid balance
- No added Salt diet
- Understanding their blood results and relevant medications
Dietary advice can change depending on your clinical condition, stage of kidney failure and biochemistry.
Dietetic Cover arrangements:
Shrewsbury renal unit: Marie Oakes
Princess Royal Renal unit: Abby Peat
Pre dialysis / low clearance clinics: Abby Peat
Home Haemodialysis clinics: Marie Oakes
Peritoneal Dialysis clinics: Abby Peat
RSH Renal ward and outliers: Marie Oakes
Ludlow Renal Unit: Patients seen in outpatient clinics.
Contact Details for the Renal Dietitians
01743261358
Fax: 01743 261053
sth-tr.renaldietitians@nhs.net