Difficult Conversations Booklet: A Resource for Health Professionals

It is internationally recognised that kidney failure impacts on an increasingly old, frail and multi-morbid population. Despite this, linked to a lack of initiation of such discussions initiated by health care professionals, people with kidney failure people are less likely to have an advance care plan or receive hospice and palliative care, compared to other chronic illness populations. Kidney health professionals report feeling unprepared to talk about end-of-life issues for several reasons, including fear of upsetting patients, lack of time/training, and feeling unconfident in their skills. A study was conducted of qualitative interviews with older people and carers with advanced CKD. The results were used for an iterative co-design of a conversation guide for health care professionals to support conversations for people with kidney disease, with a focus on complex discussions and advance care planning.

Professor Helen Hurst from the University of Salford was the Clinical Academic Consultant Nurse for this research.

Funder:

British Renal Society (Now UK Kidney Association)

Team  

Dr Anna Winterbottom, (PI) Lead Health Services Researcher, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Leeds

Professor Helen Hurst, Prof/Clinical Academic Consultant Nurse, University of Salford

Professor Paula Ormandy, University of Salford

Dr Lynne Russon, Palliative Care Consultant, Wheatfields Hospice, Leeds

Dr Andrew Mooney, Consultant Renal Physician, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust