The ASK trial: improving AccesS to Kidney transplantation

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The ASK Trial: a trial of a patient and family outreach service to improve AccesS to living-donor Kidney transplantation.

• IRAS ID

  337402

• Contact name

  Pippa Bailey

• Contact email

  pippa.bailey@bristol.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Bristol

• Duration of Study in the UK

  5 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  A living-donor kidney transplant (LDKT) is one of the best treatments for kidney failure. Less than 20% of those eligible receive a LDKT each year. There is also evidence of socioeconomic and ethnic inequity. Improving equity in living-donor kidney transplantation has been highlighted as an international research priority.
  In some countries hospital teams try to help people who need a kidney transplant to find a relative or friend who might want to give them a kidney. This is not standard practice in the UK. We have developed and undertaken a feasibility trial of a support and outreach service combining approaches used in other countries. We do not know if this service is effective or cost-effective.

  This study will test whether the developed support and outreach service is effective at helping people to receive a LDKT, if it is cost-effective, and if it is something the NHS should provide.

  People with kidney disease who take part in the study will be randomised to one of two groups. Group 1 will receive usual NHS care. Group 2 will receive the following care:
  • Potential donor identification: A meeting with a LDKT nurse specialist to elicit any personal barriers toLDKT, and to discuss their network of family and friends and their possible suitability for donation.
  • NHS outreach to potential donors: A letter from a hospital doctor to their family and friends about kidney donation and how to donate.
  • Home-based family engagement and education: A LDKT nurse specialist and a kidney donor visit the participant and their family at home, to talk about kidney disease, transplantation and what it is like to donate a kidney.

  We will study 592 people at 20 hospitals. At the end of the study we will see if people in Group 2 are more likely to have a LDKT than people in Group 1.

• REC name

  Wales REC 1

• REC reference

  25/WA/0132

• Date of REC Opinion

  12 May 2025

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion