Hi everyone! My name is Jane Ascott. I am the nurse leading the Peer Support programme for all Salford Royal kidney patients and their relatives. Peer support is when someone affected by kidney disease gives their time to share their experiences with another patient. Peer Support is an effective tool because the volunteer supporter has something the medical team doesn’t have, and that is shared experiences. They are people who you can identify with. It could be something as simple as having a natter with a supporter while at your dialysis unit, meeting for a brew or having a phone or email chat.
This support programme is for everyone, regardless of age, background, ethnicity or what bit of your kidney journey you are on. It will be available to all patients at Salford Royal and across all our satellite units (Bolton, Wigan, Oldham and Rochdale).
Our supporters are volunteer kidney patients and relatives who will offer one-to-one, confidential, short-term support. All supporters are given full training and will be matched to the person they are supporting. So this will be someone who may have, for example, similar experiences, age, and background – someone you will feel comfortable with.
We currently have two Peer Supporters on the books and a further two volunteers about to go through volunteer services.
We are establishing clinical champions in all areas of Salford Royal’s renal services. These are nurses, doctors, and support workers whose role is to put names forward to myself of patients they feel would be good supporters or patients needing support.
I have been in renal services for the past 18 years and I am so excited to be involved in this programme as it is my passion to constantly improve the experience people with kidney disease have.
All chronic diseases come with different challenges and emotions, and who better to give that support than someone who has experienced the same things?! So if you think you would benefit from Peer Support – please get in touch – jane.ascott@srft.nhs.uk.