Locally-led home dialysis service starts

ACCESS to kidney care has improved for people in Ballarat and the wider region in recent days with Grampians Health’s introduction of a full home dialysis service.

The recent shift to providing a locally-led home-based service marks a major milestone following Grampians Health’s transition to becoming an independent renal health hub.

Previously supported through Royal Melbourne Hospital, home dialysis services in the Grampians region had been managed externally and had required patients to travel to Melbourne for specialist care if they became unwell.

Now, the move to a new locally-led model means patients can receive their full care through Grampians Health, with clinical management, medical records and support based in Ballarat.

Grampians Health chief operating officer Ben Kelly said their home-based service’s launch represents a critical step in strengthening regional healthcare services.

“Becoming an independent renal health hub allows us to deliver more comprehensive, locally-led care for our communities,” Mr Kelly said.

“The home dialysis service means patients no longer need to rely on metropolitan hospitals for specialist renal care and can receive safe, high-quality treatment closer to home.”

Grampians Health home dialysis team leader Shaun Finlayson said the transition has fundamentally changed how care is delivered.

“We’re now supplying a full home dialysis service that is based here at Grampians Health,” Mr Finlayson said.

“If a patient becomes unwell, they can be admitted and managed here rather than having to travel to Melbourne for specialised treatment.”

The service currently offers home peritoneal dialysis, with plans underway to introduce home haemodialysis training in the coming months.