Context and Briefing

Would you like to help shape the future of healthcare in your community? The NHS integrated neighbourhood delivery plans present a valuable opportunity for kidney patients to get involved and make a real difference.

The NHS is currently navigating significant financial pressures as it plans for 2025/26, streamlining from 32 national targets to 18 whilst requiring providers to increase productivity by 4% while reducing costs by 1%. Despite these constraints, the NHS is implementing integrated neighbourhood delivery plans that will fundamentally change how healthcare, including kidney care services, is organised and delivered in local communities. These plans represent a critical opportunity for kidney patients to ensure their needs are prioritised during this period of transformation. By actively participating in this process, you can help foster positive change in these plans and ultimately contribute to healthier communities across the country.

These plans will be developed by local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), which are NHS bodies that plan and commission healthcare services across local areas, bringing together hospitals, GPs, local authorities and other partners to collectively plan health and care services. Your voice and experience as a kidney patient can provide vital insights to these boards as they make decisions that will affect kidney care for years to come.

To help kidney patients engage effectively with their local ICBs, we have prepared a briefing alongside draft letters. These resources will equip our members and supporters to articulate the specific needs of the kidney care community as these neighbourhood plans take shape. With tightening NHS resources, it's more crucial than ever that kidney patients' voices are heard clearly across the country to protect specialist services and ensure care remains accessible and patient-centred.

The National Kidney Federation is actively advocating at the national level with NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, and key healthcare partners to ensure kidney patients' needs remain prioritised. Simultaneously, we're equipping local Kidney Patient Associations and individual patients with these resources to engage effectively with their ICBs, creating a coordinated approach that strengthens our collective influence on both policy and service delivery.

NHS Neighbourhood Delivery Plans Briefing

Below is the briefing and the template letters for Kidney Patient Associations and individual kidney patients to contact their local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). If you would like to engage with your local ICB and are willing to participate in planning discussions, share patient experiences, help evaluate proposals from a patient perspective, and connect with our wider kidney care network, these templates provide an excellent starting point. They cover essential discussion points which you can strengthen with local data and regional examples.

We'd love to stay informed about your engagement with local ICBs - please let us know when you've sent a letter by emailing [email protected] . This will help us coordinate our national and local advocacy efforts and provide you with any additional support you might need.

Resources for you

What We Need from Our Health Services

Looking after kidney patients means thinking about the whole picture of care, not just the medical basics. When we talk to health service planners, we need them to understand what really matters. Kidney care must be holistic, not just medical. When engaging with health planners, we need to emphasise several priorities:

Protect specialist services

Despite budget pressures, we must continue preserve and protect our multidisciplinary teams including specialist nurses, dietitians, renal social workers, psychology support, and home dialysis trainers. Local clinics and patient education are essential.

Inclusive digital transformation

While digital services offer convenience, they must work for everyone, with alternatives for those who struggle with technology.

Smart efficiency

When we talk about making services more efficient, it needs to be about working smarter, not cutting corners. Home dialysis is a perfect example – it can save money in the long run, but only if we invest properly in training, support, and equipment maintenance. We need flexible services that work around people’s lives, and proper support for the family members and friends who help care for kidney patients.

Integrated care

Getting different parts of the health service to work together is crucial. Kidney teams, GPs, mental health and social care must work seamlessly, especially during emergencies. This is especially important in emergencies – everyone needs to know the plan and their role in it.

Health equity

We must address disparities in kidney disease impact and service access through language support, transport assistance, and housing solutions.

Prevention focus

Even with tight budgets, we can’t lose sight of prevention. Stopping kidney disease from getting worse is better for everyone than dealing with emergencies. Investing in patient education, regular monitoring, and peer support prevents deterioration and reduces emergency care needs.

The bottom line is that kidney care isn’t just about dialysis or medication – it’s about supporting people to live their lives as fully as possible. That means having services that are reliable, accessible, and understand what patients really need. When local health systems are making their plans, they need to hear these messages loud and clear from kidney patients and their organisations.

As neighbourhood plans continue to develop, the National Kidney Federation will maintain our determined advocacy for kidney patients' interests with national healthcare leaders and policymakers. Our national representation works with your local engagement efforts, creating an advocacy strategy that amplifies our shared message.