On 28 October 2025, Kidney Health Australia, a member of the Steering Committee of the Global Patient Alliance for Kidney Health, brought together policymakers, clinicians, researchers, community leaders, and people with lived experience of kidney disease for a National Policy Roundtable at Parliament House.
The gathering marked an important moment for Australia’s kidney health community, with participants united in their commitment to reshape how the nation detects, manages, and ultimately prevents chronic kidney disease (CKD). Over the course of the program, the conversation centred on elevating kidney disease within national policy, integrating recommendations from the recently convened CKD Emergency Summit, and addressing longstanding gaps in early detection and access to care.
A particularly strong focus was placed on the need to embed kidney health firmly within Australia’s National Chronic Conditions Framework. Several Roundtable participants emphasised that CKD is often invisible within broader chronic disease strategies, despite affecting millions of Australians and contributing to significant health system costs. The Roundtable provided a space for experts and advocates to outline the urgent reforms needed to ensure kidney disease receives the policy priority it deserves.
First Nations kidney health emerged as one of the most pressing issues discussed . The impact of CKD on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remains far greater than on non-Indigenous Australians, and the Roundtable reinforced that achieving equity will require more than incremental change. Participants highlighted the need for culturally safe care, improved access to new and emerging kidney medicines, and genuine collaboration with First Nations communities to design and lead health solutions that reflect their needs and perspectives.
Another key theme was the call to shift Australia’s approach from responding to kidney failure to preserving kidney health early. Speakers stressed that early detection through routine testing and stronger engagement with primary care has the power to change a person’s health trajectory long before dialysis or transplantation becomes necessary. Many noted that this shift will not occur without widespread public awareness efforts and robust partnerships across government, community organisations, industry, and healthcare providers. Collaboration, in fact, became a recurring idea: no one sector can solve the kidney health crisis alone.
The day concluded with a clear call to action. Roundtable participants underscored the importance of sustained national attention on kidney health and discussed the development of a comprehensive funding proposal to be considered in the May 2026 Federal Budget. The vision outlined at the Roundtable—one of coordinated policy, empowered primary care, culturally tailored strategies, and prevention-first thinking—will guide Kidney Health Australia and its partners in the months ahead.
The Kidney Health Australia’s National Policy Roundtable demonstrated that Australia’s kidney health community is aligned, energised, and ready to accelerate action. For the Global Patient Alliance for Kidney Health, the event reflects a growing international momentum toward prevention, equity, and earlier intervention, principles that will shape global kidney health efforts for years to come.
