i Purpose of the Study

The Central Australia Renal Study was undertaken against the following background:

• Increasing numbers of Aboriginal people in the Central Australia (CA) region requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT), predominantly in Alice Springs.
• Recognition of the lack of culturally appropriate service options and, in particular, service options allowing treatment as close to home as possible.
• Recognition that treatment may require relocation and, where it does, support needs to be provided for patients and families.
• Concerns about the negative impact of a lack of culturally appropriate service options on treatment uptake.

The Study was undertaken to inform the governments in the cross-jurisdictional region to make evidence based policy decisions, in order to better meet the health and service needs of Aboriginal dialysis patients in the region, in affordable and sustainable ways. It builds on the body of work already undertaken by the Australian Health Minister's Advisory Council in the development of the National Services Guidelines for the Management of Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation in Remote Australia 2006.

The Australian, Northern Territory, South Australian and Western Australian Governments agreed the Terms of Reference for the Study.