Four more South Burnett renal dialysis patients will be access care closer to home following an expansion of facilities at Kingaroy Hospital.
This means they will no longer have to travel to Toowoomba for the life-saving treatment.
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service Cluster Operations Manager for South Burnett Ms Peta Rutherford said the first stage of a three-year project to transfer all local renal dialysis activity to Kingaroy Hospital was almost complete.
“The four clients who have joined our service from early July no longer need to travel 12 hours each a week, often by ambulance, to access their care. We are offering it right here locally,” she said.
“The expansion of our local renal services is part of the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service priority of supporting patients to access care closer to home.”
The most recent transfer of renal dialysis places from Toowoomba to Kingaroy will increase Kingaroy’s capacity from 12 to 18 places.
Ms Rutherford said in addition to the extra renal dialysis places, a Nurse Practitioner specialising in renal dialysis would also be recruited to support the service, as well as support home dialysis patients and community-based programs as part of the first phase of the project.
“Chronic kidney disease is a major health risk in the South Burnett community and providing increased access to renal dialysis services will support improved access to services for these patients,” she said.
