Community pharmacy teams have a significant role to play in the prevention of acute kidney injury as they tend to see patients regularly when they collect a new prescription, need OTC advice or are due an MUR. Each member of the pharmacy team should therefore be able to recognise the signs of acute kidney injury, know the ‘sick day rules’ strategy and be able to help patients understand what action they should take and when to take it.

As with all consultations, pharmacy teams should adopt a patient-centred approach when it comes to discussing kidney health and preventing acute kidney injury with patients. This involves developing a shared agenda with the patient about their needs, preferences and options for future action.

It is important to provide patients with all the necessary information on how to maintain kidney health and prevent acute kidney injury, as well as the different steps they can take if the condition does develop. This means they are empowered to make their own informed decisions.