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Renal Health
The Victorian renal health system is well established and for many years has been successful in providing coordinated statewide services for those with chronic kidney disease. It aims to improve kidney health of all Victorians, empower people with CKD to better manage their ongoing health care needs, improve patient outcomes and enhance patient experiences by strengthening the health care system to support informed choices and ensure timely local access to best practise renal services along the full care continuum.
Renal services in Victoria
In 2012-13, the Victorian Government will spend approximately $160 million treating around 2,500 patients with end stage renal disease.At present, Victoria has a two tier renal service system with most acute clinical care being provided at specialist renal services and dialysis provided through a network of satellite services supported by a designated specialist centre.
Service Planning
The number of patients requiring dialysis is expected to grow by approximately three per cent per annum over the next 10 years.
A range of tools are utilised to assist in service planning including:
- Victorian Dialysis Capacity Audit (2011) – provides qualitative data to provide context to external issues in providing dialysis. Further audit is to be undertaken in 2012-13.
- Renal dialysis registry – a database of monthly activity of each dialysis patient in Victoria
- Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA)
- Victorian Admitted Episodes Data Set (VAED)
- Victorian Death Registry
Renal Directions: Better services and improved kidney health for Victorians
The Renal Directions document was released by the Minister for Health, the Honourable David Davis MP on 22 May 2013.
Renal directions applies the objectives and priorities of the Victorian Government to the specific improvement of services for people both at risk of or currently experiencing chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Consultation with health services, consumers and the broader community has been important to the development of these directions and has ensured they are responsive to the needs of Victorians for today and the future.
The document aims to improve provision of renal services and to make sure the renal system remains sustainable. The longer-term goal is to reduce the incidence of and mortality from CKD in Victoria. While this may take many years to achieve, this document establishes ways in which the government, in partnership with health services, primary care providers, the Victorian Renal Health Clinical Network (RHCN), and the broader health community can work towards this goal over the coming years.
The four strategic directions are:
Direction 1 - Promote healthy living and reduce renal risk factors
Direction 2 - Improve early detection and management of kidney disease
Direction 3 - Improve services for people with chronic kidney disease
Direction 4 - Strengthen and sustain renal services
Renal directions
