Heart Of England Kidney Patients Association
Charity 510070
Overview
Summary
Heart Of England Kidney Patients Association appears to occupy a bridging role around renal care in the East Birmingham Hospital area: translating patient concerns into accessible information and discussion, while also supporting the clinical settings where treatment occurs. Its model seems to combine peer-facing support with practical backing for dialysis units, suggesting it works alongside—not in place of—hospital services. The available evidence points to a condition-specific organisation whose value may lie in making renal care feel less confined to formal clinical environments.
Operational geography
Coverage: District
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- The Charity Commission describes the association's activities as providing kidney information and advice, holding open patient meetings and supporting dialysis units, but its latest financial data is for the year ended 31 December 2017 and its statutory reporting is substantially overdue. This does not establish that these activities continue currently.
- The charity's objects identify the area covered by the former East Birmingham Hospital as its intended beneficiary geography. This supports a historical east-Birmingham, hospital-catchment focus rather than a citywide remit, but does not identify current service locations or confirm the current extent of that catchment.
- The National Kidney Federation still lists the association, but describes it as serving patients cared for by 'Heart of England Primary Care Trust', an obsolete NHS body. The listing therefore provides only limited evidence of current operational reach.
- The registered address may be a trustee or correspondence address. There is no evidence that it is a service-delivery site, so it has not been recorded as an operational area.
- University Hospitals Birmingham currently operates renal services at Heartlands Hospital and through satellite dialysis units, but no current source confirms that this association supports those services or operates from any of those sites.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual return, trustees' report or direct confirmation from the association showing whether it remains active and where meetings, advice and support are delivered.
- Current confirmation from University Hospitals Birmingham's renal service or dialysis units identifying any active relationship with the association.
- A current official contact page, programme, meeting notice or social-media update that identifies active service venues and the patients or dialysis units supported.
Areas of work
- General Charitable Purposes
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Other Charitable Activities
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A bridge between clinical care and patient life
The association appears to extend renal support beyond treatment settings by creating opportunities for patients to seek advice and question doctors outside a hospital environment.
Why it matters
This suggests its distinctive contribution may be reducing the distance between specialist care and patients' everyday ability to understand and navigate kidney disease.
Show evidence
“Provide information and advise for people with kidney problems.”
Source:Organisation“Hold open meetings for patients to have the opportunity to ask a doctor questions away from a hospital environment.”
Source:Organisation
Support is directed at both people and care infrastructure
The association appears to work on two connected levels: helping people affected by kidney problems and strengthening dialysis units that serve them.
Why it matters
This indicates an operating model that may improve patient experience indirectly as well as through direct advice and meetings, making the organisation potentially relevant to both patient groups and renal-service staff.
Show evidence
“Help and support kidney dialysis units.”
Source:Organisation“TO PROMOTE THROUGHOUT THE AREA COVERED BY EAST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITAL THE RELIEF OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM RENAL FAILURE OR KIDNEY DISEASE.”
Source:Charity Commission
A geographically anchored specialist role
Its formal purpose is tied to the area covered by East Birmingham Hospital, suggesting that its relationships and local knowledge may be organised around a particular renal-care catchment rather than a broad public audience.
Why it matters
This may make the association a useful connector within a defined local treatment network, while also raising questions about whether people outside that catchment can access its support.
Show evidence
“TO PROMOTE THROUGHOUT THE AREA COVERED BY EAST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITAL THE RELIEF OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM RENAL FAILURE OR KIDNEY DISEASE.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Whether support is delivered by patients, carers, volunteers, clinicians or paid staff.
- Which communities use the meetings and whether any renal patients are underserved.
- What practical support dialysis units receive and how the association collaborates with hospital services.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent activity reports describing meeting attendance, advice channels, dialysis-unit support and partnerships.
- Information on beneficiaries, governance, volunteer roles and the current geographical reach of services.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Provide information and advise for people with kidney problems. Hold open meetings for patients to have the opportunity to ask a doctor questions away from a hospital environment. Help and support kidney dialysis units.
Charity objects
TO PROMOTE THROUGHOUT THE AREA COVERED BY EAST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITAL THE RELIEF OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM RENAL FAILURE OR KIDNEY DISEASE.