Barriers and facilitators to implementing and sustaining peer support in kidney care.
Eleri Wood, Andrew Trasolini, Nicola Thomas
PMID 34275206WHAT IT FOUND
Most kidney units lack a formal peer support service, with staff time and unclear guidance cited as the main barriers.
Clinicians and patients agreed that simple referral systems, dedicated staff champions, and flexible matching improve uptake.
Key findings
01Only 25% of surveyed UK renal units provided a formalized peer support service, while 48% offered only informal support and 27% offered none.
02Lack of staff time was the most common barrier to sustaining peer support, reported by 59% of units, followed by a lack of guidance on how to optimize the service.
03Patients and staff identified practical facilitators, including electronic reminders for clinicians, self-referral options, and matching supporters based on personal characteristics like age or treatment experience.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The survey response rate was 53%, which may limit the generalizability of the national picture. The qualitative interviews did not include allied health professionals or junior doctors, missing perspectives from key members of the care team. The comparison to 2012 data is weakened because the earlier survey covered only England, while the current one covered the whole UK. Recruitment for patient interviews was impacted by the pandemic, resulting in fewer participants than intended.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high satisfaction rates among the few interviewed patients as evidence that peer support improves clinical outcomes like hospital readmissions or survival. This study reports on service availability and user perceptions, not on the effectiveness of the support itself.