Acute Kidney Injury toolkit

Targeting Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a global priority for improving patient safety and health outcomes. AKI is a sudden reduction in a person’s kidney function that often complicates episodes of acute illness.

We have developed this toolkit to disseminate learning highlighted from AKI case notes reviews, part of the RCGP AKI Quality Improvement project. Working with GP practices, we have put together resources, alongside national Think Kidneys guidance, to support the implementation of quality improvement methods into routine clinical practice. The toolkit aims to support improvements in both the recognition and response to AKI for adults in primary care as well as improve the delivery of post-AKI care.

As a clinical syndrome (not a condition or primary diagnosis), AKI offers a shift away from a single disease framework. It provides a lens to learn about generic factors affecting patient safety during and after episodes of acute illness. Lessons learnt can be applied to improving the delivery of care for people with a range of conditions, particularly those taking multiple medicines and living with complex health and social care needs.

This toolkit has been developed in partnership between:

• the RCGP Clinical Innovation and Research Centre
• the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (NIHR CLAHRC), Greater Manchester
• Think Kidneys
• Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network (KSS AHSN)
• North East and North Cumbria AHSN (AHSN NENC).

NHS Education for Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre ( NIHR GM PSTRC) have also contributed to development of the toolkit and since April 2018 have also joined the RCGP AKI Quality Improvement Project.

Please send any feedback or suggestions to clinicalquality@rcgp.org.uk.