The first UK Renal Research Strategy has been developed as a draft. RCPE was invited to read it and provide thoughts and comments through the on-line survey link.
Executive summary
Research is an essential driver of improvements in human health, forming the basis both for the understanding of human disease and for the delivery of better healthcare. Kidney disease in its many forms affects several million people in the UK, and in its more severe manifestations has a devastating impact on the lives of patients, their families and carers. In developing this UK Renal Research Strategy our ambition has been to highlight areas where we believe investment and collaborative efforts will have maximum impact to benefit the health and welfare of kidney patients and those at risk of kidney disease.
In this document we present a series of recommendations to provide a framework for the sustainment and increase of excellence in UK renal research. Some are short-term, while others look very much to the longer-term. A wide cross-section of interested parties, including patients, clinicians, multi-disciplinary teams, researchers and funders, contributed to the strategic vision described here.
We recognise that funding for research can never stretch to cover all aspirations. Within the document, each Strategic Aim is accompanied by a description of the related issues, followed by one or more suggested ways to achieve that Aim. Our recommendations are set in the context of what has been achieved over many decades, and we hope they will present many opportunities for advancement in the future.
Strategic Aim 1
We aspire to a culture where every person with a renal disorder accessing any type of renal service (or their families and carers, where appropriate) is offered the opportunity to participate in research.
Strategic Aim 2
More focus needs to be placed on research related to minority groups with kidney disorders, including children and those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
Strategic Aim 3
In harmony with Aims 1 and 2, we recommend the creation of a national Kidney Biobank, preferably underwritten co-operatively by both the specialty-specific charities and by public funding.
Strategic Aim 4
Time needs to be provided for tailored training for the delivery of multi-disciplinary renal research in the NHS.
Strategic Aim 5
We must continue to fund laboratory science, for without new fundamental discoveries improvements in health will not be possible.
Strategic Aim 6
UK institutions should invest more in supporting non-clinician research funding applicants (e.g. mentoring, providing grant writing and financial expertise).
Strategic Aim 7
We recommend a more robust engagement between stakeholders (clinicians, researchers, industry, patients and the public, funding agencies, service providers and commissioners) to facilitate a more open culture of collaborative research.
Strategic Aim 8
A more embedded commitment to robust and appropriate patient-focused qualitative research needs to develop, to allow continuous improvement in quality of care, health and quality of life.
Strategic Aim 9
There is a need for a simpler, faster and more responsive pathway to ethical and regulatory approval, particularly for low-risk projects.
Strategic Aim 10
Renal funders should further develop funding streams in which research links with industry are rewarded.
Strategic Aim 11
Formal links between the relevant professional and charitable bodies across other conditions, particularly diabetes and cardiovascular medicine, need to be built and/or strengthened.
Strategic Aim 12
The renal community needs to build the evidence base (improvement science) that will reduce unwarranted variation in practice and increase equitable access for patients to best available treatment.
Strategic Aim 13
To complete the research loop, it is essential that the outcome of all kidney research is better communicated to patients and the public in accessible language that they can understand.
A Steering Group comprising a representative from each of the major renal stakeholder organisations developed this strategy2, and two rounds of widely-based consultation were undertaken. The Steering Group would like to take this opportunity to celebrate and commend the kidney community's long-standing commitment to improving the lives of those with kidney disease of all kinds.
This response was submitted online
4. Are the recommendations clear?
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (“the College”) is grateful for the opportunity to comment on the UK Renal Research Strategy. The document is clear and we are fully supportive of the aspirations to drive forward both translational and clinical research to advance evidence based clinical practice.
5. Please identify Strategic Aim(s) where you feel the proposed means of achieving it/them are unclear or incomplete, and provide your suggestions.
We commend the desire to include patients where possible in this strategy and the drive to expand the number of randomised controlled trails (RCTs) and build on the current successes described within the document. The future direction in research and development of a bio-bank can only enhance the research program but should not detract from high quality RCTs. Involvement of the entire renal community in more RCTs should be at the top of the agenda of this strategy.
The links with industry have been fruitful but should not compromise quality or integrity of the research. We trust there is a sound governance structure in place to ensure this and it may be worth mentioning within the document.
6. Is the balance between pre-clinical, clinical and qualitative research appropriate?
There is a good balance of basic, quantitative and qualitative research which is essential to drive patient care forward and harmonise practice throughout the UK.
7. Are there any areas not covered that you/your organisation feel are important?
The College welcomes the increased consensus within the renal community and the links with patient bodies. This is a strength which needs to be developed further. A major challenge is raising the profile of the importance of renal disorders in order to secure funding and the College is supportive of this.
8. Please suggest how your organisation could contribute to implementation.
The College could assist with linking items of interest to its website to ensure its Fellows are aware both within the UK and wider afield. Current RCPE symposia already involve several renal clinicians - for example Prof Paul Cockwell is speaking at the forthcoming flagship St Andrew's Symposium. We will continue to be supportive in this fashion and trainees and consultants are welcome to attend these events both face to face and via web streaming.
The College also promotes the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) App, developed by NHS Kidney Care and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and this may have a place in implementation.
9. Do you have any other suggestions to improve the content of the document?
None