Renal services in Victoria

Key messages

Victoria’s renal health service system consists of acute care specialist services and satellite services that provide dialysis.
The system undertakes service planning using quantitative data from many sources.
The Victorian Government has a long-term plan to reduce the incidence of, and mortality from chronic kidney disease.

Victoria has a two-tier renal service system:

specialist renal services provide acute clinical care
a network of satellite services supported by a specialist centre provide dialysis.

Service planning tools

Tools used for renal service planning include:

Victorian dialysis capacity audit (2015) produces qualitative data to give context to external issues in providing dialysis
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.

Victoria's priorities for improving kidney health

Renal directions: better services and improved kidney health for Victorians outlines the Victorian Government's priorities in improving services for people at risk of or experiencing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

The document aims to improve renal services and ensure the renal system is sustainable.

Its longer-term goal is to reduce CKD incidence and mortality in Victoria.

Renal directions establish the ways in which the government, in partnership with health services, primary care providers, the Victorian Renal Health Clinical Network (RHCN), and health and community services, will work together in the coming years.

The four strategic directions are to:

promote healthy living and reduce renal risk factors
improve early detection and management of kidney disease
improve services for people with chronic kidney disease
strengthen and sustain renal services.

Health Independence Programs – Complex Care

Renal patients often have complex healthcare needs, increased risk of hospitalisation and experience multiple factors that affect their health such as social, psychological, financial, cultural etc. Many would benefit from a program that could offer support and care coordination. Health Independence Programs – Complex Care programs are ideally suited to help in these situations.

Renal units are encouraged to use their HIP–Care program for their patients when needed.

For more information, see Health Independence Program.

Reviewed 05 June 2023

Health.vic

Contact us

Enquiries about renal health in Victoria

Continuing Care Learning Health Network Safer Care Victoria

continuingcarelhn@safercare.vic.gov.au