Maroondah residents have access to vital renal dialysis services closer to home with the opening of a new Renal Dialysis Unit at Maroondah Hospital.
Officially opening the $1.5 million unit at Maroondah Hospital in Ringwood East today, Health Minister Daniel Andrews said the service would reduce the need for residents to travel out of their local area for renal dialysis.
“The Brumby Government is taking action to deliver high quality services to all Victorians close to where they live,” Mr Andrews said.
“This new unit will deliver substantial benefits to the Maroondah community with dramatically decreased travel times for patients.
“Some patients in Maroondah currently travel over an hour each way three times a week to receive dialysis services.”
Mr Andrews said the unit, which started operating on Monday this week, has 12 renal dialysis chairs and could treat up to 48 patients.
He said the unit also has the capacity to expand to up to 16 renal dialysis chairs treating up to 64 patients.
"The unit also has the capacity to expand to up to 16 renal dialysis chairs treating up to 64 patients."
Currently, there are two centres with a total of 26 chairs providing renal dialysis services within Eastern Health, located at the Peter James Centre in Burwood East (20 chairs) and the Angliss Hospital in Upper Ferntree Gully (six chairs).
Member for Eastern Metropolitan region Shaun Leane MLC said the number of renal dialysis chairs within Eastern Health will more than double, with the opening of the new unit at Maroondah Hospital and another set to open at Box Hill Hospital later this year,
“As well as the 12 new renal dialysis chairs at Maroondah Hospital, the $38.2 million Stage 1 Box Hill Hospital redevelopment will include a 16-chair renal dialysis unit,” he said.
Mr Andrews said Victoria has the most comprehensive network of dialysis services in Australia, with 77 renal dialysis sites across the state.
“The Brumby Government will spend around $120 million in 2008/09 to deliver dialysis services,” he said.
One in three Australians are at risk of developing kidney disease, with the main causes of kidney failure being diabetes, inflammation of the kidney and high blood pressure. There are currently 2312 Victorians receiving dialysis services.
“Early diagnosis followed by appropriate treatment can reduce the rate of kidney failure, strokes and other problems by up to 50 per cent,” Mr Andrews said.