This project will bring adolescents and young adults (AYA) with kidney disease and their carers, together with clinicians, to co-design the future of outpatient care in Metro North. Co-design refers to solutions designed in a participatory manner, in which community members are treated as equal collaborators in the process.

A pilot AYA clinic at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) Kidney Health Service for patients with advanced kidney disease was initiated in September 2022. Despite recommendations for differentiated care, challenges persist in engaging young individuals effectively, as observed in the existing pilot AYA clinic. With only advanced cases covered, there's a need for service improvements to optimise young patient experience and health outcomes. This project, led by Project Manager Alexandra Cation, will employ co-design by patients, carers and clinicians to develop a visionary approach to outpatient care.

The visionary model for outpatient adolescent and young adult (AYA) kidney care, developed through co-design, will inform the creation of responsive and personalised services for AYA with advanced kidney disease. Ultimately, the envisioned improvements seek to address the observed gaps in AYA kidney care, optimize the well-being of AYA with advanced kidney disease, creating a more patient-centric and effective outpatient care approach in Metro North.