The National Kidney Federation (NKF) has welcomed a visit by the Shadow Health Minister, Dr Caroline Johnson MP, to Lincoln Renal Unit, where she met directly with people living with kidney disease to hear first-hand about their experiences of dialysis and renal care.

The visit forms part of the NKF’s wider engagement with parliamentarians to raise awareness of kidney disease, which affects more than seven million people across the UK, and to highlight the growing pressures on renal services. With demand for dialysis projected to rise significantly over the coming decade, the NKF is calling for sustained political focus on workforce capacity, service resilience, and reducing inequalities in access to high-quality kidney care.

During the visit, Dr Johnson spoke with patients receiving dialysis, listening to their personal experiences and the day-to-day realities of living with kidney disease. Patients described the physical and emotional impact of treatment, the challenges of managing long-term conditions alongside work and family life, significant transport issues and the importance of services that are responsive to individual needs and circumstances.

Discussions also highlighted the importance of patient choice in dialysis treatment, including access to home based therapies, which can improve quality of life. As part of the visit, the NKF shared the support available, including their Freephone Helpline 0800 169 09 36 and peer support service, and highlighted that the charity is there to help support kidney patients and their families at every stage of their journey. The NKF also discussed with patients how in local communities, Kidney Patient Associations (KPAs) can provide a vital support network and are often located in renal units. 

Home dialysis can offer patients greater independence, improved quality of life, and better clinical outcomes, while also delivering significant cost savings for the NHS. Despite long-standing national recommendations and a target for at least 20% of patients to use home therapies, uptake remains inconsistent across the country, with wide regional variation and persistent inequalities.

Dr Caroline Johnson MP, said: “Around 30,000 people in England rely on dialysis to stay alive - a number set to rise four or five-fold by 2033. That's why it's so important we ensure patients have access to treatment which offers them the best quality of life.

“Home dialysis can help with this by relieving pressure on hospital beds and saving patients the strain of travelling to and from dialysis appointments, which can last several hours, multiple times per week. It was enlightening to speak to patients about their personal experience with dialysis at the Lincoln Renal Unit.”

Siobhan Sodiwala, Matron at the Lincoln Renal Unit, commented: “It was hugely important for our patients to have the opportunity to speak directly with the Shadow Health Minister about their experiences of renal care. Visits like this shine a light on both the challenges people face day to day and the dedication of our staff in supporting patients through complex, life-long treatment. Hearing these voices first-hand is essential if we are to improve services and outcomes for everyone affected by kidney disease.”

Andrea Brown, Chief Executive of the National Kidney Federation, said:
“Listening to patients and frontline staff is essential if we are to deliver kidney services that are equitable, sustainable and truly centred around people’s lives. Home dialysis has the potential to transform outcomes for many patients, but too often access depends on where someone lives rather than what is right for them. Engagement from parliamentarians is vital to driving the policy changes needed to close this gap.”

The NKF emphasised that improving outcomes depends not on a single model of care, but on ensuring that patients are fully informed, properly supported, and able to access the treatment that is right for them.

Clinicians and nursing leaders highlighted the pressures facing renal units, including rising patient numbers, workforce shortages, and resource and funding constraints. The NKF stressed that without coordinated national action, these challenges risk undermining both patient experience and long-term sustainability of kidney services.

Alongside these discussions, the NKF highlighted the ‘7 million lives at risk - what's the plan?’, a joint campaign, calling on the government to commit to a national strategy for kidney disease, a Kidney Disease Modern Service Framework to set clear standards for kidney care across prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and long-term support.

The NKF hopes the visit will strengthen parliamentary understanding of the challenges faced by people living with kidney disease and reinforce the case for modernising renal services so they are fit for the future, equitable, and centred on what matters most to patients.