Education and training

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects around 1 in 10 UK adults and is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and premature mortality. Preventing CKD, detecting it early and managing it effectively can improve outcomes for patients while reducing long-term pressure on healthcare services.

Most people with or at risk of CKD are managed in primary care. Our education and training resources are designed for different professional roles, providing the knowledge, confidence and practical tools needed to support people across the CKD pathway.

CKD for Primary Care: Supporting people with CKD (non-prescribing)

~ 1 hour

Designed for nurses, healthcare assistants and other non-prescribing professionals working in primary care and community settings.

Learn the essentials of CKD, including kidney tests (eGFR and ACR), prevention, monitoring, and when to escalate concerns. Build confidence in supporting people with or at risk of CKD and reinforcing key messages as part of the wider care team.

CKD for Primary Care: Practical Prescribing Foundations

~ 1-2 hours

A practical course for clinicians who need clear, evidence-based guidance for everyday CKD management.

Covering prevention, medicines optimisation and referral pathways, this course focuses on reducing cardiovascular risk, slowing CKD progression and managing complications safely. Leave with practical treatment pathways and prescribing actions you can apply immediately.

CKD for Primary Care: A Special Interest in Kidney Health

~ 4 hours

A more comprehensive course for clinicians looking to deepen their understanding of CKD and strengthen clinical decision-making.

Explore kidney physiology, cardio-kidney-metabolic disease, CKD progression and the rationale behind key treatments and interventions. Gain a deeper understanding of how earlier and more consistent management can improve kidney and cardiovascular outcomes.

Quick reference guide

Our Primary Care CKD Quick Reference Guide distils key learning from the courses into a concise two-page resource for use in day-to-day practice.

Designed for busy clinicians, it provides a practical overview of risk stratification, medicines optimisation, monitoring and referral pathways, helping you turn learning into action during patient consultations.

Download quick reference

Integrated CKD in Practice

These recorded presentations from UKKA Integrated CKD events feature clinical and system leaders from across the UK sharing how they are developing and delivering integrated CKD programmes in their local areas.

Topics include:

Building integrated CKD pathways across primary and specialist care
Improving case-finding, risk stratification and medicines optimisation
Addressing local priorities and reducing unwarranted variation
Lessons learned from implementation and service transformation
What the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic approach and Modern Service Framework mean for integrated CKD care

Featured Presentations

Hampshire & Isle of Wight and Dorset ICBs - Improving early diagnosis of kidney disease in rural and Coastal Communities

Integrated CKD Knowledge Hub

National data and dashboards