Dialysis Services
How we can help you
We provide dialysis services for adults in hospital as well as those in the community. You need dialysis when your kidneys have difficulty filtering your blood. Dialysis is a treatment that:
- Removes waste, salts and extra water from your body
- Helps control your blood pressure
- Keeps a safe level of chemicals in your blood.
We provide two different types of dialysis:
- Haemodialysis is when your blood is pumped out of your body and cleaned through a filtering machine and then replaced.
- Peritoneal dialysis works inside your body using inside lining of your belly to act as a natural filter. A sterile fluid is washed in and out of your belly to clean your blood.
Our health care team includes specialist Doctors (nephrologists), access surgeons, anaesthetists, specialised nurses, allied health (social work, dieticians, pharmacists) and administration staff.
Home Therapies Training Unit – Prince of Wales Hospital Parkes Building 2 East
We provide education and support for people who have haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis treatments at home. We have a 24 hour on-call service for patients.
Prince of Wales Hospital Acute Haemodialysis Unit – Parkes Building 3 West
We provide haemodialysis for people who have:
- Acute kidney disease – this means it happens suddenly
- End-stage kidney disease – this is when your kidneys can no longer function on their own and you require life-long dialysis
If you require dialysis, you will need to have it a number of times a week for the rest of your life. Our dialysis unit operates 6 days a week and is only closed on Sundays. We also provide an after-hours service as needed 7 days a week.
War Memorial Hospital Satellite Haemodialysis EORA Unit – Vickery Building
We provide haemodialysis at the War Memorial Hospital for people who are well and independent and able to assist with their dialysis. We provide dialysis 6 days a week.
If you need dialysis, you will need to meet with one of our kidney specialists. To arrange this first appointment, you need a referral from your local Doctor (GP) or specialist doctor. Ask them to fax the referral to: (02) 9382 4409. Once our Doctors review your referral letter we will contact you via phone or letter with your appointment time and date.
This first appointment will take up to an hour. Our specialists will discuss with you the type of dialysis and which service will be best for you.
Once you start dialysis you will need to have it a number of times a week. If you need to cancel or change a dialysis appointment please call the relevant service.
We are a teaching hospital and you may be asked to be involved in research or for a student to be present at your appointment. You have a right to say no. If you do so, this will not impact in any way on the services we will provide.
Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.
For more information about dialysis visit: Kidney Health Australia