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CAPD Patient Workshops

held at Addenbrooke's

Addenbrooke's CAPD unit has organised and supported a number of patient workshops over the past eighteen months. The primary aim of the sessions are for training purposes and education but are mostly popular as a forum for meeting other patients and relatives and enjoying a chat over a cup of tea. So far there have been six workshops and 85 patients/relatives have attended as part of their training.

The workshops are run to a theme – including transplantation, pre dialysis, Christmas and holidays. The sessions are supported by Baxter Healthcare and they bring along a number of representatives who do the holiday club presentations and do teaching sessions and help to serve the teas. Usually the talks are done by Addenbrooke's staff including doctors, nurses, dietitians and transplant co-ordinators but patients have also been happy to take the floor and share their experiences. We often break for a cup of tea and a raffle before enjoying group work, quizzes and interactive displays. We try to make the sessions a mixture of information, training and light-hearted fun and we always evaluate the success of the event and ask for feedback from the patients.

We are been very lucky to have had a number of guest speakers from a number of supportive organisations including AKPA and have run stalls selling Christmas cards and gifts as well as cookery books from the National Kidney association. All patients and relatives are welcome at these events and hospital transport can be provided for those who otherwise would not be able to attend. We plan to continue to support these workshops approximately every three months and always welcome suggestions for topics to be included. The next one will be before Christmas 2008 and we look forward to seeing new faces.