Our Hospital Grants fund a wide range of patient projects, pieces of equipment, renal unit infrastructure, and staff posts such as renal social workers, physiotherapists, renal counsellors and youth workers. Find out more on our Hospital Grants page.
The following are the major grants we've awarded so far in 2021.
Grants Awarded: October 2021
Post: Clinical Psychologist
Omagh (Western Health and Social Care Trust)
To provide additional specialist psychology sessions to enhance the well-being of the renal patient population in the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT).
Current funding for psychology to the WHSCT Renal Service is 0.2 WTE 8a for a renal population of 550 patients meaning that current demand outweighs capacity and the psychological complexities of this population are unmet. The WHSCT is also challenged by its geographical spread over three Counties, with current psychology input to renal being available in one sector of the Trust.
Number of patients expected to benefit from the funding is 550 patients including renal replacement, transplant, peritoneal dialysis and low clearance will have equal access to the Physical Health Psychology Service.
Post: Research Assistant
Royal Hull Hospital
Quote from grant application:
“Cognitive impairment represents a huge burden on patients with kidney disease. Interventions to improve this progressive cognitive decline are critical for maintaining patient and family quality of life. Supporting the psychological well-being of patients remains the centre of our focus and our aim is to make a real and immediate impact on patients lives in our renal unit”
The funding is for an expert researcher to lead in understanding and intervening in the cognitive decline seen during haemodialysis by introducing a new app-based cognitive training intervention which will be patient-led.
The aim of the post is to undertake work to assess the use of smartphone/tablet-based gaming apps for the delivery of patient-led cognitive gamified training during haemodialysis sessions to improve cognitive function.
Grants Awarded: April 2021
Post: Principal Practitioner Psychologist
The Children’s Kidney Centre, Cardiff (University Hospital of Wales)
The Children’s Kidney Centre, covering all but North Wales, does not have a permanent Psychologist. A successful two-year proof of concept post, funded by Kidney Wales, led to promising discussions in February 2020 about permanent NHS funding. The unforeseeable disruption of COVID-19, however, halted discussions and funding will not be in place before the contract ends in July 2021. This would be devastating for families, particularly during a ‘mental health crisis’ relating to COVID-19; and puts the long-term funding of the post in jeopardy. This grant would extend the Psychologist post and significantly increase the likelihood of long term funding.
Post: Paediatric Renal Social Worker
University Hospital Wales, Cardiff (The Children’s Kidney Centre)
Renal Social Worker, an important member of our team in care of children with kidney diseases, is funded for only limited hours at Children Kidney Centre (UHW) because of funding issues. This has seriously affected the support we can offer to to the patients and their families. We are seeking funding from Kidney Care UK , a charity with a great credibility and track record in providing hospital grants to the needy, while we continue our efforts to secure a sustainable and long term funding from our Health Board.
Project: Compassionate Mindful Resilience Programme
Queen’s University, Belfast School of Nursing & Midwifery
This new service development project will be delivered as a partnership between Kidney Care UK, Mindfulness UK and Queen’s University of Belfast, to pilot, including full evaluation, a new virtual mindfulness course for patients with kidney disease and carers. The Charity is keen to explore the feasibility of delivering mental health support via virtual means as a cost effective way to significantly reach and support more patients and carers, particularly during COVID-19. The aim is to adapt the Compassionate Mindful Resilience (CMR) programme developed by Mindfulness UK, and explore its effectiveness for patients who have kidney disease and carers.
Project: Renal App (raising awareness on healthy lifestyle choices, BAME)
Walsall Manor Hospital
Walsall has more than the national average of CKD and DKD (Diabetic Kidney Disease). We recently collaborated with Walsall Together to appoint a full time Consultant Nephrologist with an interest in Community who started in post 8th March 2021. As part of the development of a service that has very high aspirations, we would like to create a mobile phone application for patients and their relatives that will help them to manage their condition.
This app would have the following contents
- CKD information for patients
- Health and well being advice
- HD and PD (videos on patient journey)
- Promoting home therapies
If successful, we would implement task and finish groups for setting up of this initiative.