Brit J Hosp Med
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Inherited kidney disease accounts for a significant proportion of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure. There is increasing evidence that genetic testing for inherited kidney disease should be integrated into clinical care pathways at the earliest opportunity so that patients and their families can maximally benefit from carefully tailored care. Despite increased availability of genetic testing, the proportion of patients with renal disease undergoing genetic investigations remains low. This article introduces key concepts of genetic and genomic testing to the renal physician and addresses some common barriers to the wider integration of genetic testing in routine clinical practice to fully capitalise on recent advances in genomic medicine and improve patient outcomes.
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As part of the NHS long-term strategy to meet the medical and non-medical needs of patients, there is growing acceptance that the traditional model of service delivery can no longer meet current challenges. This has led to the co-creation of services with patients and other stakeholders such as the voluntary and community sector to help deliver these. Social prescribing, which is now available through the NHS, is one such option that allows individual patients with a social need to access local health resources and social support outside the NHS.