Dedicated to research, education and service to patients for prevention and effective treatment of kidney disease

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1 STRATEGIC PLAN Our Mission: Dedicated to research, education and service to patients for prevention and effective treatment of kidney disease Introduction Over the last 2 years, the Trustees undertook a review of the Renal Association s future objectives and developed a strategic plan. Prioritisation of the key objectives for the Renal Association, as outlined in this report, has resulted from reflection on the changes within the Association, consideration of current and future challenges for our organisation and its members, and prediction of factors that might enable or constrain our ability to deliver successfully in a reasonable timeframe. We have been mindful of the need to reconsider the objectives should the external environment dictate. The process of strategic planning took place in parallel with a series of discussions with the British Renal Society (BRS) around the topic of future joint projects. Delivery of some of the Renal Association s objectives will require engagement of the broader multidisciplinary team and will only be achievable through better alignment of the two organisations. Background The Renal Association is primarily the professional body for UK Nephrologists and for scientists involved in research into diseases that involve the kidney. From its foundation in 1950, it has been active in 1

2 promoting and disseminating research that may ultimately improve outcomes for patients with kidney disease. The Association has also taken a leading role in the education of clinicians and scientists interested in kidney disease. The Renal Association is proud of its history, being the one of the oldest Renal Societies in the world, with an important repository of historic documents in its archive. The Renal Association has led excellence in renal service delivery and research innovation in the UK since its inception, with particular strength in cutting edge renal science. In the 1990s the British Renal Society (BRS) was founded to be more inclusive of the multidisciplinary team. The BRS has developed as an umbrella organisation in which the Renal Association is the largest stakeholder, but represents a much broader group of healthcare professionals and patients through alignment of their respective own organisations. More recently, the Renal Association has broadened its remit to become more active in issues related to the training of doctors and the planning and development of clinical services. The development of the Clinical and Academic Vice President roles reflected this change in the focus of the organisation. There has never been a more important time for strong clinical leadership than now, as major financial and workforce constraints are placed on the NHS. Simultaneously there is an understandable expectation for us to deliver true 7-day consultant working, to continuously improve care quality and patient safety as well as drive clinical and scientific research forward. The Renal Association recognises the fundamental importance of working with the multidisciplinary team members as equal partners to overcome these challenges. Strong leadership by the Renal Association, involving all health professionals, is critical for us to improve services. We must work together, develop service delivery models and share innovation and good practice as one community, in order to overcome the challenges ahead whilst improving patient care. 2

3 The Renal Association has led UK Medicine in the development of a comprehensive, highly regarded Registry of patient outcomes, which can be used by the MDT to identify inequalities, improve service provision, improve safety and provide a rich source of data for research. Despite its small size, the Renal Association has developed comprehensive clinical guidelines of such quality that they are approved by NICE. The RA also recognises the key involvement of patients in all aspects of their care. In this respect the RA has led UK Medicine by developing the Renal PatientView platform which enables patients for the first time to access their results, be signposted to patient information and to access their clinic letters. Many of the activities of the Renal Association are duplicated by the BRS, most notably the large annual scientific meeting each organisation holds each spring or summer. This duplication is inefficient, with both organisations competing for financial support from a limited number of pharmaceutical companies. The Association of Renal Industries (ARI), which like the RA is a stakeholder in the BRS, has sent out a clear message regarding its inability to fund two meetings each year and has urged the RA and BRS to hold one joint annual meeting, as has occurred sporadically in previous years. Both organisations have training committees and individuals charged with monitoring patient safety. Duplication of committees of the RA and BRS has lead to confusion, with the implication that the organisations have competing objectives. An integrated approach to provide professional support for doctors, scientist and the broader multidisciplinary team delivering healthcare to patients with kidney disease will be more effective. 3

4 Strategic plan In planning the strategic objectives, the Trustees were mindful of the ongoing discussions with the BRS and were keen to highlight how a closer working relationship might serve both organisations better than the historical relationship. In parallel with the development of a strategic plan for the RA, the Trustees have held meetings with the BRS to progress closer collaboration. In developing its strategic plan, The Trustees divided the activities of the RA into 5 key domains: 1) Membership 2) Research 3) Communications and Network 4) Quality in Practice 5) Education, Training and Careers At the two strategic planning meetings, Trustees were asked to prioritise two strategic objectives in each domain and to identify key measures of success in that would indicate that these objectives are being achieved. 4

5 DOMAIN 1 - MEMBERSHIP Strategic Objective 1: Increase membership across all categories, with increased collaboration with the British Renal Society Strategic Objective 2: Develop tiered, multi-disciplinary membership categories, prices and associated access to resources, including recruitment of non-clinical scientists as members and retention of them via engagement of their Principle Investigators. DOMAIN 2 - RESEARCH Strategic Objective 1: Increase the Renal Association s contribution to multi-disciplinary research including non-clinical laboratory scientists. Strategic Objective 2: Increase support for our academic trainees. DOMAIN 3 COMMUNICATIONS & NETWORKS Strategic Objective 1: Redesign of the Renal Association website and membership database. Strategic Objective 2: Increase the visibility of the website to nonmembers and increase its relevance to members. DOMAIN 4 QUALITY AND PRACTICE Strategic Objective 1: To provide clear advice and guidance to UK national bodies involved in all matters relevant to excellence in quality clinical service delivery 5

6 Strategic Objective 2: Provide expert clinical leadership to support the whole MDT in enhancing safer patient care and service quality improvement in all aspects of kidney disease. DOMAIN 5 EDUCATION, TRAINING & CAREERS Strategic Objective 1: The RA will organise and facilitate with partners as appropriate an annual meeting and boutique meetings to provide the most valued UK opportunity for the renal community to communicate and network key issues in best clinical practice, education and research Strategic Objective 2: Greater dissemination of the Advanced Nephrology Course material by posting on the Renal Association Website. Feb