Metro North Adolescent and Young Adult Kidney Clinic

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Initiative Type
Model of Care
Service Improvement
Status
Deliver
Added
Last updated

Summary

The project will:

  • develop a model of care to support best practice care for Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) with kidney disease living in Metro North Hospital and Health Service (HHS) catchment area
  • deliver an AYA kidney clinic for Metro North HHS
  • evaluate the performance and outcomes of the AYA clinic to determine ongoing requirements and scope.
Key dates
Nov 2021
Dec 2023
Implementation sites
The clinic was established at North West Community Health Centre (Keperra) to deliver care for patients from across the Metro North Health catchment.
Partnerships
Transplant Australia and the Sony Foundation

Aim

The Metro North Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Kidney Clinic Project will address the unmet need for youth specific services for young adults with kidney disease in Metro North.  

Benefits

  1. improved health outcomes for adolescents and young adults with kidney disease
  2. improved kidney health service capability
  3. greater access to care close to home
  4. reduced health system costs associated with poor health outcomes and transplant failure

Background

The project took advantage of an opportunity to partner with Transplant Australia and the Sony Foundation to implement the Oxford-London model for improving the poor outcomes associated with the transition from paediatric to adult care for AYA with a kidney transplant (Harden et. al. 2012).

It builds on Managing your care: A guide to help young people transition from Queensland Children’s Hospital to adult kidney care and was developed alongside Optimising Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Care in Queensland Strategy

Solutions Implemented

he following solutions have been implemented by June 2023:

  • the development of the Adolescent and Young Kidney Model of Care, in partnership with patients, clinicians, subject matter experts and stakeholders
  • a formalised partnership with Transplant Australia for the inclusion of a Youth Worker at clinic to facilitate peer support and clinic-based activities
  • the commencement in September 2022 of AYA kidney clinics every two months.  The clinics include a consultant nephrologist, specialised transplant nurses, renal pharmacist and a Transplant Australia Youth Worker, as well as guest speakers including dietetics.

 

Evaluation and Results

The project has a formal evaluation plan and will be evaluated following 12 months of clinic operation (late 2023).

 

Lessons Learnt

Lessons learnt will be compiled as part of the evaluation.

References

  1. Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Managing your care: A guide to help young people transition from Queensland Children’s Hospital to adult kidney care. 2021, State of Queensland.
  2. Cornish, S., Macauley, L., Jesudason, S. and Murphy, L., Kidney Health Australia Youth Program – State of the Nation Report. 2019: Melbourne.
  3. Harden, P.N. and S.N. Sherston, Optimal management of young adult transplant recipients: the role of integrated multidisciplinary care and peer support. Ann Saudi Med, 2013. 33(5): p. 489-491.
  4. Harden, P.N., Walsh, G., Bandler, N., Bradley, S., Lonsdale, D., Taylor, J., Marks, S. D., Bridging the gap: an integrated paediatric to adult clinical service for young adults with kidney failure. BMJ, 2012. 11(jun01 1): p. 16-e3718.
  5. Kidney Health Australia, Consensus Statement: Improving outcomes for adolescents and young adults with kidney disease. 2019, Kidney Health Australia.
  6. Levine, M.H., Reese, P.P., Wood, A., Baluarte, J.H., Huverserian, A., Naki, A., Abt, P.L., Inferior Allograft Outcomes in Adolescent Recipients of Renal Transplants From Ideal Deceased Donors. Annals of surgery, 2012. 255(3): p. 556-564.
  7. Queensland Child and Youth Clinicial Network, Optimising Adolescent and Young Adult Care in Queensland: A Statewide Strategy. 2022, State of Queensland.
  8. Queensland Child and Youth Clinicial Network, Queensland Child and Youth Clinical Network Position Statement: Adolescent and Young Adult Care 2021, State of Queensland.
  9. Tong, A.P., Henning, P. F., Wong, G., McTaggart, S., Mackie, F., Carroll, R. P., Craig, J., Experiences and Perspectives of Adolescents and Young Adults With Advanced CKD. American Journal of Kidney Disease, 2013. 61(3): p. 375-384.
  10. Tong, A.P., Wong, G., McTaggart, S., Henning, P. F., Mackie, F., Carroll, R. P., Howard, K., Craig, J., Quality of Life of Young Adults and Adolescents with Chronic Kidney Disease. Journal of Pediatrics, 2013. 163(4): p. 1179-1185.e5.
  11. Watson, A.R., Harden, P., Ferris, M., Kerr, P. G., Mahan, J., Ramzy, M.F., Transition from pediatric to adult renal services: a consensus statement by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA). Pediatric Nephrology, 2011. 26(10): p. 1753-1757.

Further Reading

ABC News published an article about the clinic and spoke to the clinicians and patients involved: Brisbane kidney disease clinic providing safe space for young people 'at highest risk' .

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Key contact

Alexandra Cation
Project Manager
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
0736462654
alexandra.cation@health.qld.gov.au

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