For Patient and Visitors
What is the Renal Service?
We provide care for both inpatients and outpatients that have kidney diseases which include:
- Chronic kidney disease
- End stage kidney disease
- Kidney transplantation
- Glomerulonephritis
- Hypertension
- Electrolyte abnormalities (such as sodium, potassium and bicarbonate)
- Urine abnormalities (haematuria or proteinuria)
- Kidney imaging abnormalities
What can I expect from the service?
The Northern Health Renal Service is one of 8 comprehensive renal services in Melbourne. It is a non-kidney transplanting renal service and collaborates with the Royal Melbourne Kidney Transplant service.
We provide inpatient and outpatient care for all patients that would benefit from specialist renal services.
This includes patients on dialysis and patients with acute kidney failure that require dialysis.
We provide consultation services to all other medical and surgical services within the hospital for patients that require assessment of kidney disease, whether it be a new problem or chronic problem that requires assessment and monitoring.
We have an outpatient service that investigates and manages all problems relating to kidney disease in the listed categories for adults (aged over 16 years of age). The outpatient service operates at 3 of the 5 Northern Health campuses including
- Epping (Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings)
- Broadmeadows (Monday mornings, Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings)
- Craigieburn (Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons)
All patients will be assessed by a doctor who is part of the Northern Health Renal Service. We offer advice and management for all kidney diseases and also assess and assist in the management of common conditions linked to kidney disease such as blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes if required.
It is common that our assessments and management of kidney require blood and urine testing prior to most appointments to help inform us and yourselves of the current condition of your kidney function.
We may refer you to other medical or specialty health services to help manage your kidney disease if dialysis, kidney transplantation or end of life management due to kidney failure is required.
We have additional expertise with allied health services for patients with renal disease that include:
- Nurses that work closely with the medical staff who assist in the management and explanation of chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease
- A dietitian for advice and assessment of dietary needs and possible changes for patients with kidney disease
- A pharmacist to ensure appropriate medication dosing and safety in patients with kidney disease
- An occupational therapist to assess and assist patient homes and their environment in patients with severe kidney disease or those needing dialysis for kidney failure
- A podiatrist to assess and manage foot problems that cause or lead to foot ulcers in patients with kidney failure that are receiving dialysis
- A social worker that can assist and assess needs and availability of community supports and discuss in conjunction with medical staff end of life planning
- A psychologist that can assist in coping with adjustments to deterioration of physical health and well-being associated with kidney disease
- A broad range of interpreters to assist patients and families from a non-english speaking background
Future appointments to see a renal doctor will be made when leaving the clinic if they are required.
Additional appointments to see associated members of the renal service or other specialty services will be requested and the patient informed of the date and time as soon as possible.
GP’s are informed of the medial assessments, plans and changes to treatments by written letter.
How to refer to the service
A referral is required. Please visit your GP clinic
What do I bring/need for my appointment?
It is valuable to bring all medications that you take or an up to date list with medication strengths to the appointment so we can assess, change medications or advise GP’s to consider alterations in order to best help your health, kidney disease and any related problems.
If tests have been done by other doctors and you have access to them bring them along to the appointment as they may be helpful for the renal medical doctors. It is usual that we have requested you to have had tests done before your appointment so we can best assess the progress of your kidney problems.
If you need other specialists/doctors to know the outcome of the appointment, it would be useful to know their name and address in order to send correspondence.
To enquire about your referral:
Email:SpecialistClinics@nh.org.au
Free Call: 1300 128 539
Contact us
Renal Service Department:
Email: RenalService@nh.org.au
Phone: (03) 8405 2802
Fax: (03) 8405 8402
Chronic Kidney disease co-ordinators:
Email: CKD@nh.org.au
Phone: 8405 2803; 8405 8733
Mobile: 0459 561 644
Fax: (03) 8405 8402
For Health Professionals
Service Overview
Northern Health Renal Service operates clinics with nephrologists and multidisciplinary allied health from three sites. Patients will be triaged to the most convenient site, based on their home address and availability.
How to Refer
GP Referrals: use HealthLink SmartForms to send referrals to Northern Health, including investigation results and reports.
Other health services (hospitals, allied health, specialists etc): Fax referral to 8405 8616
*For detailed referral criteria and required supporting information please see HealthPathways Melbourne via the link below:
HealthPathways Melbourne – Renal Services
Director/Head of Unit:
Dr David Barit
