Kidney Transplant in London

What is the purpose of this workstream?

The LKN Transplant Collaborative actively promotes timely access to kidney transplantation and is focused on improving pre-emptive transplant rates. We work together to share expertise and provide mutual support across our network.

Workstream Chairs

Ismail Mohamed

Joint chair of the group and Consultant Surgeon – Barts Health NHS Trust

Lisa Silas

Joint chair of the group and Advanced Nurse Practitioner – Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Sapna Shah

Joint chair of the group and Consultant Nephrologist – King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

We are excited to be working with colleagues and friends across London to improve  kidney transplant programs for Londoners, as well as for people referred from the surrounding areas.”

Ismail, Lisa, and Sapna

Kidney transplant in London

Kidney transplantation is the optimal and most desired form of renal replacement therapy for patients with advanced kidney disease. Across London, transplant rates and waiting times for transplantation vary for many different reasons including expertise to support people with multiple health problems;  workforce skills and knowledge and availability; and infrastructure.  In addition, the LKN Equity Audit showed that some variation is associated with social-demographic factors and ethnicity. The LKN Transplant Collaborative is working to promote timely access to kidney transplantation and is particularly focussed on improving pre-emptive transplant rates. By sharing expertise and providing mutual support across our network, we aim to increase the number of successful kidney transplants and enhance patient experience during their transplant journey.

Aims and objectives of the group:

Aims

The LKN Transplant Collaborative has three key aims:

1. Ensure all eligible patients receive a transplant 

2. Increase % of pre-emptive transplantations across the LKN

3. Reduce identified inequalities within the transplant pathway

The Collaborative will be working with the London Transplant Centres and referring Units over through-out 2023-24 and into 2024-25 to deliver the following objectives:

    Objectives

    1. Implement the 18-week pathway for transplantation across the LKN and its referring centres

    2. Implement associated pathways i.e. cardiac assessment, vascular assessment, Polycystic Kidney Disease assessment across the LKN and its referring centres

    3. Fully embed Mutual Aid as Business As Uusual and extend the criteria for use

    4. Map the transplantation workforce and create supporting business cases for use across the LLN

    5. Deliver three-centre pilot of GOLD (Gift of Living Donation) programme to increase pre-emptive transplantation in Black people

    Workstream Members

    Published guidelines:

    Pathways

      • LKN Transplant Work-up assessment for PKD pathway – Download
      • LKN Transplant Workup Cardiac assessment – Download
      • LKN Transplant Work-up Vascular Assessment pathway – Download

    Coming soon:

      • 18-week pathway
      • Patient Education Resources
      • Mutal aid guidance

    Other Resources

      • Honouring the Gift of Living Donation: utilising organs for transplantation – Learn more

    GOLD (Gift Of Living Donation)

    We aim to increase the number of pre-emptive transplants for Black African Caribbean kidney patients through a targeted community initiative to improve their access to living donation.

    The GOLD project is a simple intervention in the patient pathway to help clinicians better engage with Black patients, and which empowers patients to talk with their families.

    By referring Black patients to the scheme it increases their chances of having a pre-emptive transplant instead of dialysis. This has a huge impact on both their physical and mental health. 
     
    Gift of Living Donation (GOLD) is passionate about change and want to work with the LKN as they represent new ways of working that drive the future of equitable healthcare for all. 
    Dela Idowu

    GOLD