Renal Patient Support Resources 

This leaflet is designed to help you find relevant, reliable resources about chronic kidney disease (CKD), that will help you to look after yourself and your kidneys. It will also help you plan your treatment journey, which may include, dialysis and kidney transplantation.  

Charities 

There are various charities that focus on kidneys and chronic kidney disease. They have lots of reliable information about CKD, looking after your kidneys, dietary advice and treatments available including dialysis and transplantation. Also, lots of social, emotional and financial advice.  

Kidney Care UK (KCUK)
www.kidneycareuk.org
0808 801 00 00 

National Kidney Federation (NKF) 
www.kidney.org.uk 
0800 169 09 36 

Kidney Disease UK 
www.kidneyresearchuk.org/
0300 303 11 00 

Peer Support 

The NKF offer a free Peer Support Service for individuals who have kidney disease but also family members, partners or carers of somebody with kidney disease. The peer supporters are all kidney patients themselves, are aged between 20 and 80 and are fully trained and DBS checked.

• Phone 0800 169 09 36 and they will put you in touch with a suitable peer supporter or  
• Email helpline@kidney.ork.uk or 
• Ask your specialist nurse to make an online referral for you.

Local support group  

Dorset Kidney Patient Association (Dorset KPA). They can provide informal first-hand experience of dialysis and transplantation. They also arrange fundraising and social events.  

Email hello@dorsetkpa.org or visit www.facebook.com/dorsetkpa 

Online videos 

There are various health videos available from Our Dorset Video Library about CKD: https://healthvideos.ourdorset.org.uk/kidneys 

A podcast made by a patient with kidney disease, that will take you through her kidney care journey: Diary of a Kidney Warrior (available to download from Podbean, Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also listen to episodes on YouTube or Kidney Care UK).

Mental health and wellbeing support 

We have an inhouse counsellor who can help you with any mental health needs. Please ask your specialist nurse or renal doctor to be referred.  

There are also various external support services and counsellors available: 

• www.ourdorset.org.uk/accesswellbeing 
• Therapist directory: www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/using-our-therapist-directory/ 
• Counselling directory: www.counselling-directory.org.uk/ 

Exercise/keeping active 

Kidney Beam is an online platform to help kidney patients with physical and mental health, by offering methods to improve physical activity at home. There will be a cost to join this from July 2025: www.beamfeelgood.com 

Dietary advice 

The Kidney Kitchen – For kidney friendly dietary advice and approved recipes 
https://kidneycareuk.org/get-support/healthy-diet-support/kidney-kitchen/ 

Smoking cessation 

NHS stop smoking services  
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/nhs-stop-smoking-services-help-you-quit/ 

Contact numbers

We hope that you have found this information useful. If you have any questions or are worried about anything, please speak to the following Dorset County Hospital staff: 

Renal Specialist Nurses: 01305 254782 

About this leaflet

Author: Leanne Brown, Advanced Kidney Care Specialist Nurse 
Written: June 2025 
Approved: July 2025 
Review Date: July 2028
Edition: v1 

If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk