REACH Transplant

REACH Transplant is a new initiative in Tayside and reflects a new emphasis on Living Donation for kidney transplant.

We know that patients can find it difficult to talk openly about their kidney disease, and that raising the subject of live donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) can seem like an insurmountable hurdle. We know too that patients and their loved ones can have misconceptions about LDKT. These realities combine to reduce the likelihood of accessing pre-emptive LDKT as a preferred treatment option for many patients.

The aim of the REACH Transplant project (Renal Education and Choices @ Home) is to improve equity of access to pre-emptive LDKT by providing high quality, accessible information to patients and their loved ones in a relaxed setting, and to encourage open discussion about treatment options.

Kidney doctors in NHS Tayside can now refer suitable patients to the REACH Transplant service. Specialist Nurse Claire Moir helps the patient to plan an informal information session for their friends and family members and facilitates an open discussion about end-stage renal disease, its treatments and the particular advantages of pre-emptive LDKT. It is made clear to invitees that the session is not aimed at recruiting or assessing any potential living kidney donor, but simply to improve their understanding of the situation faced by their loved one.

The REACH Transplant project went live in February 2023, with its first patient visits, and we look forward to sharing our results with you in the future! For further information contact tay.transplantteam@nhs.scot