The Lister Area Kidney Patients Association (LAKPA) is a small, well established charity registered with the Charity Commission (Charity Number 1008961) whose mission is to be a trusted voice for kidney patients and their families in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and West Essex.

The charity is run entirely by volunteers so administrative costs are minimal and membership is free, and we rely entirely on donations, sponsorship and bequests to finance our work.

We are always pleased to hear from you if you have any questions regarding LAKPA or how it can support you. However, if your query or comment is of a medical nature or concerns your treatment, you should contact your nurse or doctor in the first instance or renal administration on 01438 284362.

PALS – Another option is to contact PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) whose remit is to help patients, carers, staff and the public. They can be contacted on 01438 285811 or by email at pals.enh-tr@nhs.net.

NKF – Alternatively for questions not specifically related to the Lister renal service, the NKF runs a helpline the number of which is 0800 169 09 36.

We are dedicated to improving the lives of kidney patients and their families served by the Lister Hospital in Stevenage and work closely with the renal department. The Renal Clinical Director and other senior staff attend the LAKPA committee and very much value this connection with the patient voice.

Lister Hospital provides a wide range of services to kidney patients, including pre-dialysis/transplant, dialysis, including home dialysis training, assessment for living donors and transplantation and post transplantation and is also establishing a clinic for young adults.

Ward 6B is the main inpatient kidney/renal ward with 25 beds, situated on level 6 in the hospital’s main block. Within Ward 6B, dialysis can be carried out in the 4 bayed dedicated acute haemodialysis unit. In addition, there are also some beds on the opposite ward, 6A.

The RITA (Renal Interventions Treatment Area) exists for patients who do not need to be admitted to a ward for certain tests/procedures or intravenous medications and can be treated here.

There are also a number of Clinical Nurse specialist teams – Advanced Kidney Care, Renal Access, Transplantation as well as renal pharmacy.

LAKPA works closely with the renal clinical team and support them by funding equipment and services that the team feel would be beneficial for patients but are not funded through the NHS. This covers a variety of items ranging from stress balls to aid fistula development, through innovative needling clips and ultrasound scanners to improve patients’ experience of needling, as well as improved facilities for the waiting areas. In addition, when proposed by the renal social workers, we fund hardship grants and food vouchers to support those in need.

Working with the renal team we have also provided the initial funding for staffing innovations, such as the benefits adviser and the peer support co-ordinator, both of which proved so successful that they are now funded through the renal budgets. We are currently running a trial and funding two energy therapists as many patients find this service calming and beneficial.

And lastly, but by no means least, we know that we all need some fun in our lives and there is more to life than kidney disease so LAKPA funds summer outings to the coast for dialysis patients, and Christmas events for all the units, as well as supporting events and parties to celebrate significant milestones such as anniversaries.