🌟 ANN UK Vascular Access Community of Practice (Vascular Access CoP)
Collaborating to Advance Excellence in Vascular Access Care
The ANN UK Vascular Access Community of Practice (CoP) has a unique heritage. Originally established as the BRS Vascular Access Interest Group, it has now evolved into a multidisciplinary community under ANN UK — bringing together nurses, clinicians, and allied professionals involved in the care, management, and optimisation of vascular access for dialysis.
This CoP provides a UK-wide forum to share expertise, discuss emerging evidence, and strengthen collaboration across the multidisciplinary team to enhance patient outcomes in vascular access.
🎯 About the Community
The Vascular Access CoP aims to promote effective communication, best practice sharing, and peer support among professionals responsible for vascular access in dialysis care.
Unlike other CoPs, this group brings together members of the entire vascular access pathway, including nurses, surgeons, radiologists, and nephrologists — creating a truly collaborative platform for learning and service development.
We are also proud to support the MAGIC resources (in partnership with the UKKA) and to have recently contributed to the development of the STOP Guidance for haemodialysis line disconnection.
đź‘Ą Aims and Objectives
The Vascular Access Community of Practice is committed to:
đź’¬ Sharing best practice and creating a forum to address key challenges in vascular access management
🧠Providing support and guidance for the development and delivery of vascular access services
🎓 Offering educational opportunities — including virtual training — to support professional development in vascular access care
🤝 Collaborating with vascular access organisations such as VASBI to update and maintain national best practice guidelines and resources
đź“… Meeting regularly (bi-monthly) or more frequently for specific project work and collaborative initiatives
đź’ˇ Active Projects
The Vascular Access CoP is currently engaged in several important projects, including:
Review of BRS Cannulation Guidelines (in partnership with VASBI), including updates to buttonhole techniques and resources addressing life-threatening bleeding
Support for the STOP Guidance for haemodialysis line disconnection
Ongoing collaboration with the UKKA and MAGIC resource teams to ensure consistency and quality in national vascular access standards
🚀 Future Projects
Looking ahead, the Vascular Access CoP will be leading work on:
Development of best practice guidelines for haemodialysis line care
Expanding training opportunities through webinars and collaborative workshops
Continued alignment with national policy and workforce development goals in vascular access care
đź”— Join the Vascular Access Community of Practice
If you’re a nurse, clinician, or member of the multidisciplinary team involved in vascular access for dialysis, this community offers the ideal platform to collaborate, learn, and contribute to national best practice.
Join us in advancing safe, effective, and innovative vascular access care across the UK.
👉 Click here to Join
For more information or to get involved in upcoming meetings and projects, please contact us at:
📧 info@ann-uk.org