WHO WE ARE

The Welsh Kidney Patients’ Association (WKPA) is an independent registered charity, which is dependant on donations, gifts or grants.
It is the patients’ own organization, covering South, East West and Mid Wales, with more than 1,600 members. It is run by patients and carers for patients and carers.
We have been an all-volunteer group since 1982 and a registered charity since 1995.
The charity is administered by its honorary officers and a management committee, who are trustees of the charity. They are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting held in October.
Membership is FREE and open to all predialysis, dialysis and kidney transplant patients and their carers.
We are affiliated to the National Kidney Federation (NKF), which represents kidney patients throughout the UK. This allows WKPA members to receive the NKF’s FREE quarterly magazine “Kidney Life”. The NKF also provides a comprehensive selection of patient information leaflets.

WHAT WE DO

The Association encourages setting-up local self-help/ support groups for patients, their families and friends to share information and experiences.
There is also a Befriender Service available at UHW, Cardiff and Morriston Hospital, Swansea, for patients in need of support (see our Befriender leaflet).
The Association publishes a FREE quarterly magazine - “Kidney Matters Wales” which informs patients of current and new developments in their treatment and levels of care. It also includes notices of forthcoming events and has a ‘Tots 2 Teens’ page.
“Kidney Matters Wales” is also available on the WKPA’s Web-site
www.wkpa.org.uk
The Association supports the Welsh
Transplant Team, to compete at the British Transplant Games.
The Association has undertaken research of patient opinions through patient surveys, providing Service Providers with patient information on the level of care.
The Association provides modest financial support through our Welfare Fund, for those patients who have trouble in meeting one-off expenditure relating to their treatment which cannot be met by any other means.
The Association liaises with Hospital Dialysis Units, the Transplant Unit and other support services, assisting when possible, in the funding of items of equipment for the care of patients.
The Association supports the aims and work of the Kidney Wales Foundation, and other National kidney charities who raise money for renal research in Wales.
The Association represents kidney patients on the Renal committees of Health Commission Wales (HCW); the National Service Framework (NSF)- Project Board for Renal Services in Wales; and the Cross-Party Kidney Group of the National Assembly.
We also represent the interests of kidney patients in Wales on appraisal committees of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).