Kidney Charities Unite to Urge PM to Act on Kidney Disease
This week, the PKD Charity joined four leading kidney charities, patients and clinicians at 10 Downing Street to urge the Prime Minister to take urgent action on kidney disease. Without change, it could become the UK’s fifth leading cause of premature death by 2040.
Together with Kidney Care UK, Kidney Research UK, the National Kidney Federation and the UK Kidney Association, we delivered an open letter signed by more than 13,000 patients, clinicians and supporters. The letter calls for a national kidney strategy to improve early detection, prevention and fair access to treatment.
A growing crisis
Kidney disease affects over seven million people in the UK, yet it remains largely overlooked. Without a national strategy, the impact on patients, families, and the NHS will grow. By 2033, it could cost the UK economy over £14 billion annually, including £10.9 billion in direct NHS costs.
Around 30,000 people rely on dialysis, costing over £34,000 per patient each year. Nearly 7,000 people are waiting for a transplant, an increase of 11 percent in a year, and six die every week while waiting.
Early diagnosis and intervention can prevent or delay kidney failure, but services remain inconsistent. New treatments exist, yet too few people are diagnosed early enough to benefit.
Voices from the kidney community
Representing The PKD Charity were Zahra, a 27-year-old from London living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), and our CEO Alison Taylor. They joined other charity representatives, including patients Thomas Haynes from Gloucestershire, Asif Zaman from Surrey and Miranda Scanlan from London, to deliver the letter and share their experiences.
Zahra’s family has lived with PKD for three generations. “Knowing that the government is prioritising kidney health would mean patients feeling recognised, valued and supported,” she said. “It would show that their lives and challenges are not invisible – that kidney health is finally being treated as a national priority.”
Alison Taylor added: “As the only UK charity dedicated to Polycystic Kidney Disease, we see the devastating impact of kidney disease every day. PKD is an incurable, inherited condition that often affects entire families and is one of the main causes of kidney failure in the UK."
"The need for a national kidney strategy that addresses both chronic and rare kidney diseases has never been more pressing. Everyone living with a kidney condition now and in the future needs to know that the right care and treatments are available. A comprehensive plan is not just necessary; it is urgent.”
A united call for change
Following the hand-in, the All-Party Parliamentary Kidney Group met in Westminster, chaired by Jo White MP. The meeting brought together MPs, charities, clinicians and professionals to discuss the open letter and hear directly from patients about their experiences of living with kidney disease.
Dr Katie Vinen, President of the UK Kidney Association, said: “kidney disease is a growing health challenge that intersects with many other long-term conditions, yet it remains largely absent from national strategic planning. This letter reflects the strength of feeling across the kidney community: change is urgently needed.”
7 million lives at risk. What’s the plan?
The charities are calling on the UK Government to match the World Health Organisation’s recent recognition of kidney disease as a global public health priority. A clear national strategy is needed to improve prevention, early detection, innovation and equitable access to care.
At The PKD Charity, we know first-hand the toll kidney disease takes on individuals, families and the NHS. It is time for urgent, coordinated action to put kidney health at the heart of the UK’s public health agenda.
Read the full open letter to the Prime Minister.
If you would like to speak to us about what support we can offer you or a loved one, please visit PKD Support or contact us today and speak to a member of our team.
ADPKD, ARPKD, Research, Dialysis, PKD, PKD Partnership
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