At Fresenius Medical Care UK & Ireland (FME UK&I), we recognise how our colleagues help us advance innovation in patient support to achieve an exceptional standard of health outcomes and experiences for patients globally. Today, we are thrilled to share Cassy Clay’s story about her journey at FME UK&I, experience in her role and the relationships she has cultivated with people living on dialysis.

Cassy Clay is a Therapy Support Assistant who’s been with us for just over three years. Cassy is one of three people in our organisation working in this brand-new role, unique to FME UK&I. Her role encompasses a range of duties that vary on a weekly basis and are centred around providing training to those dialysing at home as well as our nursing staff. Cassy’s contribution is key to making sure patients who would like to dialyse at home are fully supported and guided through the treatment process. 

Her commitment to renal care and her passion for patient support has prompted her to reflect critically on how her role might be refined, in the spirit of the company’s drive to constantly seek ways to make the lives of our therapy users better. Meditating on her role, Cassy said: “Its evolution has followed FME’s own development in the UK and Ireland, so its activities and its scope have changed over time. This has given me the opportunity to explore new dimensions for my everyday responsibilities.”

“I was attracted by doing something new, and I love it because it is both a technical and customer-focused job. It was also a new role when I joined, meaning I’ve been able to develop the role and move it forward, which was really exciting for me as I like the diversity of things I do.”  

Exploring new environments and adapting to diverse contexts is at the core of Cassy’s role. Part of it is to travel around the UK visiting hospitals and patients to provide direct and face-to-face assistance to those on therapy with FME UK&I. She embraces being able to learn how each hospital operates differently and prides herself in being able to give these establishments feedback and advice on their approaches that no one else can garner.

Enhancing the experience delivered to those on renal therapies is the essence of what makes FME UK&I one of the most esteemed medical providers globally. Cassy appreciates the emphasis the company places on patient wellbeing and its dedication to empower them to find a treatment that is tailored to their needs and truly works for them, whether in centre or at home. Above all, she values being able to accompany them through the entire healing process.

“What I enjoy the most, is that after training a patient for two days, you ring them on day three and you can see that they’re elated and doing better. Seeing the improvement in the patient’s level of hope and overall mood following their progression through the therapy, is really fulfilling.”

She added, “There’s something about renal patients that is different from other patients, you get a sort of pull. The fact that you get to know them, and that you’ll follow them for the rest of their life through their treatment journey, it’s an extended relationship. I know some of them more than I know some of my own family members. They make me laugh, cry, happy and sad, but most of all they make me proud.”

When considering the upcoming developments for the healthcare sector, Cassy said she was excited to see the company’s developments in remote therapy management systems. She saw it as a major step that will help nurses to care for their patients remotely and which will further boost the acceptance and growth dialysis treatments at home. 

When considering the upcoming developments for the healthcare sector, Cassy said she was excited to see the next Kinexus system being rolled out for home therapies. She saw it as a major step that will help nurses and those who dialyse at home to monitor their treatment via WiFi.

Expanding on that, she mentioned the need to drive home therapies further to improve outcomes for those who live on dialysis. “It’s better for hospitals and patients and enables better guidelines. Everyone should be given the option to dialyse at home rather than it being the second option.”

As a Therapy Support Assistant, Cassy’s chief concern is making sure that those she helps are happy and having a good experience on dialysis. Her remarkable enthusiasm for ensuring life is as pleasant as possible for them is palpable in the way she nurtures deep ties with people dialysing with FME UK&I equipment at home and follows them closely throughout their healing process. Her dedication epitomises the ethic of compassionate healthcare we champion at FME UK&I.