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Happy New Year. I hope you are rested and ready to attack the New Year with your usual vigour and drive.
The President's election is due; the call for nominations has been made. If you are thinking of applying please contact Peter Mathieson before the 20th February.
The preparations for the joint meeting with the BTS in Liverpool are proceeding well. Registration is open and I would encourage you to attend. There are significant cost savings for early registration. If you have juniors who intend to attend the meeting but are not members, please encourage them to join. The cost saving for member registration is worth more than the cost of membership of the RA.
As always the edition of eNews is full of useful knowledge and information about meetings. Please read the draft report from the PD working party and send comments to Edwina Brown or Kevin Harris. If you think you have the time to help with the ISN educational ambassador's programme, then please contact John Feehally for this very important initiative. We are all concerned about the environment. The RA is taking a leading role in helping to reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare which is being led by Charlie Tomson. If you can help or want more information contact Charlie.
I will leave you with these highlights and wish you a successful 2009
Best wishes
Lorraine Harper
Honorary Secretary | | RA BTS Conference, Liverpool 2009
We are delighted to announce that registration to the RA BTS Conference 2009 is now open. Early bird deadline is Midday on Wednesday 4th March 2009.
To register for the conference - click here
Abstract submission is also now open. Submission closes at Midnight on Sunday 11th January 2009
To submit an abstract - click here
For further information please visit the conference website
|  Haemodialysis Masterclass 2009 Friday 20th March 2009 Holywell Park, Loughborough
Haemodialysis is one of the truly great 20th century medical achievements. However, our patients still struggle with a high burden of morbidity and substantially shortened lives.
Despite being a major part of our day to day clinical practice, HD is often neglected in CME courses and research presented in conferences does not typically address the real practicalities of taking HD practice forwards.
The first Haemodialysis Masterclass was held in 2007 and was attended by almost 100 Consultants. The day was a great success and the evaluations were very positive. The second Haemodialysis Masterclass course aims to provide you with up to date information, and in-depth discussions on areas that we think are likely to lead to genuine advances in HD therapy, or which we feel are topical areas of interest or of difficulty.
We hope you will enjoy this course, find yourself stimulated and perhaps make connections with other like-minded individuals with an interest in HD
Click here to view the programme
Click here to register for the course | | Chronic Kidney Disease Course
Jointly organised by the Royal College of Physicians and The Renal Association
Tuesday 24 February 2009
At the Royal College of Physicians,
11 St Andrews Place, Regent's Park, London NW1 4LE
This conference is about the early identification and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and uses the recently published NICE CKD guideline to set the context. The aims of the day are to explore what we know, what we think we know, and what we don't know, giving practical advice and touching on contentious and controversial areas.
Audience: all those involved in the identification and management of people with CKD from both primary care and secondary care.
For programme details and booking form please click here | SpR Club Spring Meeting - 28 February - 1 March 2009
The next meeting of the Nephrology SpR Club is on the weekend of 28 Feb - 1 March in Sheffield. The theme is "Renal Research for Clinicians and by Clinicians" - but unlike other meetings, we will cover the background, funding and organisation of clinical research - all from the point of view of renal registrars in the UK and Ireland. We aim to complement existing courses in covering the new SpR/ST curriculum. But places are very limited so register now to guarantee your place!
The full programme is available on our website at www.sprclub.org and you can register by clicking "Club meetings" and following the link or by emailing: spr@remark.co.uk
| Recent Advances in Renal Cancer
14th and 15th May 2009
Regents College, London
British Journal of Hospital Medicine is delighted to announce a prestigious new conference: 'Recent Advances in Renal Cancer' to be held in London on 14th and 15th May 2009.
This major two day event will assemble expert speakers from across the UK for two exciting days packed with discussion and debate. It will provide an excellent arena to discuss the current issues and challenges involved in the management of renal cancer patients.
To find out more click here
| PD Working Party Document
The Renal Association has established 2 working parties to look at the optimum provision of home therapies for renal replacement therapy.
The draft report of the PD working party is now available for comment on the Renal Association website. Any comments that you would like to make on this document should be emailed to the Chair of the working party, Professor Edwina Brown (with a copy to Kevin Harris) by the 28th February 2009. The working party will then consider your comments before making their final recommendations to the Renal Association at the April conference in Liverpool.
A further working party chaired by Dr Mark MacGregor is preparing a report on the provision of Home Haemodialysis. It is anticipated that this will be available for comment latter in 2009.
Kevin Harris
Clinical Vice President
| ISN Educational Ambassador's Programme
The International Society of Nephrology is recruiting volunteers willing to provide teaching and training for periods of 1-4 weeks in a nephrology centre in the emerging world.
Do please consider whether you can make time to work with ISN in this new programme which has so much potential to assist nephrology colleagues working in such disadvantaged circumstances compared to our own in the UK.
For more information please click here.
If you do decide to get involved, please also send a copy of your completed volunteer form to me.
Thank you.
John Feehally
ISN Secretary General
jf27@le.ac.uk
| Clinical Practice Guidelines for aHUS
A working party from the Renal Association, the British Committee for Standards in Haematology and the British Transplantation Society has produced a draft clinical practice guideline on aHUS which can be reviewed on the RA website. Feedback or comments should be addressed to Prof Tim Goodship at within 1 month.
A final version will take account of feedback prior to endorsement by the RA. For more information click here | |
Online CKD Resource
CKD Forum members have produced a web-based package on CKD in collaboration with OCB Media at University of Leicester. Entitled "Chronic Kidney Disease - a guide for primary care" it is intended to provide up-to-date information on managing CKD in a primary care setting.
There are eight learning modules on causes of CKD, measurement of kidney function, nutrition, medicines management, what to tell patients etc. These modules have been updated with respect to NICE guidance and became available for use in December 2008.
This resource is free to use as a reference tool but by using the self assessment MCQs for each module, educational training certificate's are also available for a small administration fee. (£6 - Standard Certificate, £8 - Advanced Certificate £10 - Enhanced Certificate). The resource has been endorsed by the British Renal Society.
For more information click here
| Renal Registry Update
The UK Renal Registry is preparing its 11th Annual Report, on patients receiving RRT up until the end of 2007. We hope to have this out early in the New Year: in addition to the usual print format, the entire Report will be published as an on-line supplement to Nephron Clinical Practice, which we hope will improve 'electronic visibility' and ease of citation. Read on | Green Nephrology
Following an approach from Sir Muir Gray, the Renal Association is working with the Campaign for Greener Healthcare read on | Trainees - Nephrology Specialty Certificate Examination
Sample questions will be available on the MRCP(UK) website by next week click here. The questions may be password protected in which case they will be located within MyMRCP(UK) section. | Clinical studies of eculizumab in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is soon to commence clinical studies of eculizumab, a complement C5 inhibitor, in atypical haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (aHUS). Sites in the United Kingdom and Ireland are sought to participate in this open-label, multi-centre study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of eculizumab in aHUS patients. Read on
| A Half-Century of Renal Tubular Disease
27 March 2009
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Oliver Wrong's seminal paper of April 1959 on renal tubular acidosis, the UCL Centre for Nephrology hosts a one-day symposium on current concepts in renal tubular disorders. Professor Wrong will be speaking alongside internationally renowned experts in clinical management and basic science investigation of renal tubular disease.
Further infomation
DIALYSIS 2009
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 intensivel 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 Scientist Newsletter
Happy 2009 from the Renal Scientist Working Group. Here are some tips to get you started with culturing renal specific cells. For more information about the protocols feel free to get in touch with us. | |
Invitation for May 2009 Grants Applications
| NSF Headlines January 2009
Self assessment tool to identify Chronic Kidney Disease are you or is a relative one of the missing millions? Read on
Any questions about returning the National Renal Dataset? Contact details and FAQs
Register for the new National Kidney Care Audit e-bulletin here
The CKD pathways have been updated. More information click here
Specialised renal services (adult) definition. Dialysis services to remain as within the specialised services definitions set more
For a detailed update of the NSF click here
If you have comments, suggestions or would like to be involved
contact Donal o'Donoghue on donal.o'donoghue@srft.nhs.uk
| | Renal Pathology Course for Nephrologists
12-13th March 2009 Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital.
"What you need to know about the renal biopsy and its interpretation"
This successful course is in its 5th year and places are on a first come first serve basis.
Please send completed application forms to Alan Salamato reserve a place.
| 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 | 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Europe.an Society for Paediatric Nephrology
A Joint Meeting with the Renal Association
2-5 September 2009
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Daniel Turnberg Trust Fund
The Daniel Turnberg Trust Fund UK/Middle East Travel Fellowships
A new exchange scheme to encourage collaboration between medical researchers in the UK and the Middle East.
What the scheme provides:
- Short-term exchange of medical researchers and bioscientists between the UK and Middle East.
- Opportunities to gain further research experience, learn new techniques and to foster scientific collaboration between scientists.
- Provision of airfare and a subsistence allowance for periods of up to four weeks.
The aim of the scheme is to encourage researchers to visit and experience an alternative learning environment, we do notrequire applicants to suggest researchers with whom they might exchange.
| The Hospital Infection Society
Spring Meeting 2009
The Hospital Infection Society, www.his.org.uk, is a registered charity which exists to foster the advancement of knowledge and education of all those who have an interest in the important field of hospital infection
For our Spring meeting 2009 we have a one-day symposium on Infections in Renal Medicine. The meeting will take place on Thursday 19th March 2009 at the Derby Conference Centre, Derby.
Programme Details
| 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. | | | World Kidney Day 2009 March 12, 2009 - A New Day! - The 4th World Kidney Day | | | | |