Allied Health Professionals

Allied health professionals play a key role in delivering person-centred kidney care; supporting people living with kidney disease across treatment, wellbeing and rehabilitation. UKKA membership is open to all allied health professionals working in kidney care and service delivery, from dietitians and occupational therapists to psychologists and counsellors.

UKKA Membership provides opportunities to connect with colleagues from across your profession and the wider kidney community, share practical experience, and contribute your specialist perspectives. Join us and play a vital role in strengthening the voice of your profession within the kidney community, while helping to shape services that reflect the full range of patient needs.

My first foray into the kidney world outside of my Trust was presenting a poster at UK Kidney Week (UKKW). There I met like-minded kidney AHPs working in other Trusts that encouraged me to join the British Renal Society Renal Rehabilitation group. I found it so invigorating and motivating to connect with others interested in the same things as me.

When the BRS and RA merged, I joined some special interest groups in areas that interested me, such as Supportive Care and Living Well With Kidney Disease.

From there, I joined the UKKW programme committee and enjoyed having insight into how the conference was pulled together and was able to advocate for MPT content. With a little nudge, I took on one of the UKKW Co-Chair roles and started to build my confidence with multiprofessional leadership and enjoyed having a say in decisions.

With an even bigger nudge, I became Clinical Vice-President of the UKKA, and then, with a kindly shove, I am now President. I have always enjoyed the sense of community I get from the UKKA, and everyone is so supportive; sharing information and helping each other to be the best they can. It can be quite isolating within your Trust to be a kidney specialist OT, as you are usually the only one or surrounded by constantly rotating colleagues. The UKKA has allowed me to make contact with other kidney OTS and AHPs working around the nation, and together we provide peer support and work towards advocating for our roles within kidney care.