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The meeting in Liverpool (RA-BTS) was judged by most to be a great success. The programme was well received, the atmosphere was excellent, the venue, although large, was good and most people got a lot out of those three-four days. We had a over 500 abstracts submitted, and presented orally or as posters, and 1070 people attending. The invited speakers did a superb job. I would welcome all feedback on the meeting, and suggestions for ways we can improve.
I want to pay tribute to the hard work and energy shown by the whole Programme Committee, all those people who devised sessions in the programme, who scored abstracts, moderated posters, chaired sessions, and of course the enthusiasm of the attendees (even at the AGM with 69 people - must have been those bacon butties!). I want also to thank both secretariats, MCI UK and KASM for their professionalism in organising the event, and for their very much appreciated contribution, and presence on-site for the main programme days.
Next year it is Manchester in May joint with the BRS - those arrangements are now starting to be made. Excitingly it's the RA's 60th Birthday Celebrations. We would like your feedback as to how we should celebrate, an afternoon at the meeting has been scheduled to celebrate the Association's birthday.
There is a call for expressions of interest for several posts this month. Following the election of Charlie Tomson as President-elect, he will demit from the chair of the Renal Registry. This is a challenging but rewarding job. Jo Adu retires from the NHS in June and it is with our great regret that he has resigned from the Chair of the International Committee. Three elected executive positions become available this year, the non-clinical post from which Tim Johnson retires, and two clinical posts from which Phil Kalra and Gordon Bell demit. These individuals have done an excellent job and have found the roles rewarding. Also, we need help with supporting the Website and eNews, so if you can help as Assistant Webmaster please express an interest. If any of these posts interest you I would encourage you to express an interest, further details are below.
Best wishes
Lorraine Harper
Honorary Secretary
| | Elections 2009
President - Elect
Charlie Tomson has been elected as the next President of the Renal Association; congratulations to him.
The turnout was 45.5%, described by the Electoral Reform Society as "outstanding" and far higher than usual in this type of election.
Thank you to all those who voted. Charlie became President-elect with effect from the recent annual meeting in Liverpool.
| Expressions of Interest
Expressions of interest are invited for the following positions:
Renal Registry Chair
International Committee Chair
Executive Committee Membership
Two Clinical Positions
One Non-Clinical Position
Assistant Web Master
Expressions of Interest should be sent to The Honorary Secretary at the following email address renal@mci-group.com by 31 May 2009.
| Nephrology SCE Update
Specialty Certificate Examination in Nephrology: 1st diet March 2009. Read more
| Call For Research Proposal in Lowe Syndrome
You are invited to apply for research funding from the Lowe Syndrome Trust. Click here fore details | Haemodialysis Guidelines
The use of twice weekly dialysis as a way of meeting the demand for haemodialysis in the face of insufficient capacity, has again been raised in some areas. Click here for more details
| NCEPOD
NCEPOD is about to publish a report investigating the care of patients who died in hospital with Acute Kidney Injury. This report, which was proposed by the Renal Association and undertaken with our full support, is to be launched at a meeting in London on Thursday 11th June 2009. For details of this meeting please click here or, to view the course flyer please click here
At this stage the findings remain confidential but clearly could have major implications for the practice of nephrology and service models for treating AKI within the UK.
The treatment of AKI was highlighted as one of the Quality Requirements in Part 2 of the renal NSF; to address this, the Renal Association is working collaboratively with other relevant specialist societies to look at ways of improving the care of patients with AKI within the UK. This work is being led for the Renal Association by Dr Andrew Lewington. More details about this work will be circulated in due course.
Kevin Harris
Clinical Vice President
| NSF Headlines April 2009 : Working for better kidney care
NSF Headlines April 2009 : Working for better kidney care
NSF update - April 2009
Care closer to home - IV Iron
Click here
Renal Patient Transport Audit - first phase results now available
Click here
NICE to look at portable dialysis
Click here
NICE to examine new drugs for transplantation
Click here
If you have comments, suggestions or would like to be involved contact Donal on donal.o'donoghue@srft.nhs.uk
| Best Quality Improvement Award
Western Renal Service and Social Care Trust, Londonderry was recently awarded the BMJ Group Award 2009 for Best Quality Improvement. For full details of the awards click here
| Renal Scientist Newsletter
It was another exceptionally good year for scientific presentations at the Renal Association Annual Conference. You can read all about the Young Renal Scientist's Forum and who won the 2009 prize by clicking here.
| | Working Party
The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy is setting up a working party on therapeutic monitoring of Aminoglycosides and Vancomycin. They are looking for a renal physician to sit on the group and have asked for self-nominations from members of the Renal Association. If you think you might be interested, please contact Alasdair.McGowan@nbt.nhs.uk
| Advanced Nephrology Course
Advanced Nephrology Course Part 1 28 September - 1 October 2009 Covering the most clinically important, recently advanced and challenging areas in nephrology, this course is specifically aimed at consultants and senior SpRs wishing for updates on difficult or developing clinical issues.
| Cystic Kidney Disease and the Role of the
Primary Cilium
Renal Association/European Society for Paediatric Nephrology Joint Meeting 3rd Sept 2009
University of Birmingham, UK
Primary cilia are evolutionarily conserved organelles of uncertain function which were first described in 1898. Almost every cell in the body carries a primary cilium. In the past ten years, abnormalities of the primary cilium have been associated with several important diseases affecting the kidney including polycystic kidney disease, nephronopthisis, Meckel's syndrome and Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. These ciliopathies have in turn led to new insights into the functions of the primary cilium and its related organelle, the centrosome or basal body.
This one-day meeting will highlight and summarise for the practising clinician the major scientific advances in this rapidly changing field as well as the exciting therapeutic and diagnostic advances in the management of cystic kidney diseases. Click here to see a full list of speakers.
Early bird registration: 31 May 2009
Click here to visit the ESPN 2009 website
The meeting has been approved for CPD accreditation.
| | European Society for Paediatric Nephrology 2009
The Young Nephrologists' Symposium
Wednesday 2nd September 2009, University of Birmingham, UK.
This one day educational satellite meeting will have two main topics: Renal Transplantation and Adolescent Transition.
The symposium is aimed to attract Paediatric and Adult nephrology trainees and recently appointed Consultant Nephrologists from around Europe. Delegates are invited to submit case studies which, if successful, will be presented orally at the meeting. Small bursaries will also be available to delegates from Lower Income economy countries.
To see a copy of the programme click here
For more information on the course click here
| | Optimising care at the Cardio-Renal interface
Joint conference with the British Cardiovascular Society and Renal Association in association with the Cardiorenal Forum. Click here for details | BAPEN Medical Summer Meeting
Nutrition and Renal Medicine
Thursday 18 June 2009
To be held in St Bartholomew's Hospital, London
Topics to be covered
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Nutritional requirements and renal disease -
Diet and aetiology / progression of renal disease -
Feeding critically ill patients with renal problems -
Sclerosing peritonitis and its nutritional management -
Nutrition in renal transplantation and joint renal and intestinal transplantation -
Case presentations
| BMUS and The Renal Association Ultrasound for Nephrologists Study Day
Tuesday 29 September 2009
Venue: Postgraduate Education Centre, Kings College Hospital, London
Organisers: Emma Vaux & Colin Deane
This is a one day course aimed at training nephrologists.
The meeting will be interactive with lots of hands-on practice
For further information please Click here
| DIALYSIS 2009 - Update DX09
10-12 June 2009
The management of end stage renal failure by dialysis forms a central component of all renal units. However, it is often the least intensively taught component of nephrology training. The aim of this intensive course is to provide a thorough introduction to dialysis, from basics to new developments.
The invited expert faculty will provide comprehensive coverage of all aspects of dialysis and ESRF through a mixture of informal lectures and workshops. The course is aimed at Specialist Registrars in nephrology, but will also be of interest to other health care professionals involved in the management of patients with chronic renal failure.
Further information | Renal Physiology for the Clinician - 6-8 May 2009
The Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, Pond Street, London
Fluids, electrolytes and acid-base
All you need to know about fluid and electrolyte balance, but were too puzzled to ask!
This course aims to integrate physiological principles with day-to-day clinical practice. It will feature formal, introductory lectures each day, and clinical case-based and interactive discussions with our faculty designed to illustrate and build upon the day's presentations.
It is intended for Specialist Registrars in Nephrology, and will also be of interest to more senior General (Internal) Medicine SPRs and SPRs in Intensive Care Medicine. Consultant Nephrologists and General Physicians with an interest in fluid and electrolyte disorders are welcome to attend as a "refresher" course.
Further information | Supportive Care for the Renal Patient 2009
6-7 July 2009
This annual multiprofessional renal palliative care course uses a mixture of lectures and small group case discussions to explore end of life care for patients with renal disease. A second day has been added to enable more detailed coverage of advance care planning. The meeting is aimed at consultants and trainees. Numbers are limited, so please apply early. To view the programme and to register please click here
| Member Suggestion Box If you have any ideas or would like to include an article or event in eNews, please contact the Renal Association Secretariat on 0845 1800 484 or renalenews@mci-group.com. | | | | | | |