BOLTON is identifying more people with kidney disease than the rest of Greater Manchester, thanks in part to the Big Bolton Healthcheck campaign supported by The Bolton News.

A survey revealed that people in the North West are most likely to be “at risk” of kidney disease.Kidney Research UK polled 2,000 adults and revealed that 84 per cent of people in the region have little or no knowledge of kidney disease, its causes or its symptoms.

But in Bolton, thanks to the campaign, there have been significant steps towards identifying kidney disease. Dr Stephen Liversedge, a clinical director at Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Over the last five years, a lot of work has taken place, especially through NHS Bolton’s Big Bolton Healthcheck, to make sure that more people with chronic kidney disease are diagnosed and receiving the best possible care. As a result, a higher percentage of people in Bolton are recognised as having chronic kidney disease than across the rest of Greater Manchester.”

In 2011/12, there were 13,088 people in Bolton identified as having chronic kidney disease, 5.7 per cent of the population, compared to 2.2 per cent of the population in 2007/08, before the campaign. Dr Liversedge added: “This does not mean that more people have chronic kidney disease than previously, rather that more have been identified and are receiving care.”