KidneyMatters is the website for the Kidneymatters News Letter of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kidney Patients' Association

Information about Corona Virus

How are renal services preparing for the COVID-19 outbreak

Renal services are working to ensure that you will continue to have high quality care for your medical problems throughout the outbreak.

There may be some differences in the way that services are delivered during this time and these will be communicated to you directly from your renal unit.
All renal units are putting plans in place to help their local renal services plan for the management of patients who develop COVID-19 infection.

Ensure your renal unit has your contact details

Because there may be some differences in the way that services are delivered during this time it is very important to make sure that your unit has your current contact details (including mobile phone numbers, and email addresses where available). This applies to all dialysis, transplant, other immunosuppressed and low clearance patients. Also please check that you have your unit's daytime and out of hours contact numbers.

Outpatient appointments

Regular outpatient appointments may need to be changed or postponed.

You will be advised by your own unit if this is the case. If you are experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms, please do not travel to your unit but call them instead and follow their advice.

People on dialysis at a unit or in a hospital

If you do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 then you should continue to attend your dialysis at your unit or hospital as usual. If you do have any concerns, you can always call your renal team beforehand.

If you do develop symptoms of COVID-19 do not go to the dialysis unit.
The current advice is for you to call 111. They will tell you what to do. You should then call your dialysis unit and tell them that you have called the emergency contact number for a COVID-19 infection.

This is important because the dialysis unit will speak to the renal medical team to ensure that there is help for you. If you are unwell but you don't think it is due to COVID-19, please call the dialysis unit anyway.
they will then discuss with the medical staff, to confirm that the illness that you have is unlikely to be due to COVID-19.

Changes in dialysis appointments

You may be asked to be flexible about your dialysis sessions. In some cases, your renal team may suggest some changes to your dialysis schedule (either in terms of location or frequency). If this is the case they will discuss this with you.

Blood results at your finger tips

The Q.E. is part of "Renal Patient View" which allows you to view your blood results and transplant list status "on line". The system is supported by the Department of Health and is a secure web site and can only be accessed by you for your results. If you would like to take up this facility, the forms are at clinics or contact the K.P.A..
It is a very useful addition to the service as your blood results are available about 36 hours after your blood tests. There is also a full explanation as to their meaning. It has an added advantage that should you be away from home and need to see a doctor, you can access your latest results for them to see.
You can see what it is like by going to www.renalpatientview.org and have a look at the demonstration.
If you go to the "links" on the home page you will find a direct link to the web page.

Contact the Clinic for the forms.

General Information
You will find information about your condition under 'Patient Info'. There is information about healthy eating under 'Dietary Info'. We will be having more general information from the Consultants in the near future. If there is an area you would like more information on please let the K.P.A. know and we will try to include it.

	KIDNEY MATTERS
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kidney Patients' Association