Patients suffering with life-changing illness, renal failure, and undergoing kidney dialysis treatment will now benefit from a scheme which seeks to address their financial concerns and provide direct assistance with much-needed funds.
Utility charity provider Auriga this week launches the nationwide roll out of UK Care, a ground-breaking scheme which helps patients gain the welfare and financial support they are entitled to.
First piloted in 2016 in conjunction with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust (UHB) and the Money Advice Service, its success to date and the successful integration into a healthcare setting now enables the rest of the UK’s kidney patients to be able to benefit from this free service.
The overall ambition for UK Care is to ensure that every kidney patient in the UK has access to the help they deserve and can secure immediate benefits. The scheme’s additional aims will seek to:
* Review patients’ income to ensure all entitlements are gained
* Enable patients to feel more in control of their lives
* Provide financial comfort and relief from financial stress
* Enable the average actual gain in income reach £5,688 per person
Mark Abrams, CEO of Auriga Services said: “The tremendous success of the scheme in delivering direct help to patients and the funding support achieved to date now means that the UK Care model will potentially help thousands more patients.
“By forming a funding collaboration between water, energy and network companies and Kidney Care UK, the wellbeing and multidimensional quality of life patients can gain in their social, psychological and social lives will greatly improve.”
Consultant Nephrologist Clara Day from University Hospital Birmingham says: “Of all the things that I have done for Kidney patients, this service has made the most difference to their lives. Working directly with Auriga has transformed the way in which we deal with our dialysis patients day-to-day.”
Mark adds: “Our delivery methods for UK Care involve face-to-face advice, information sessions on financial capability, and applications to grants or trusts – a lifeline for many patients in need.’
