For children living with ongoing health concerns and their families, the transition to adult services is often a difficult and complex process. While their peers are focusing on the end of school and the associated lifestyle changes, these young people must also navigate potential health complications as they enter adulthood.
Queensland Children’s Hospital Child and Adolescent Renal Service, in partnership with our Advancing Kidney Care 2026 team and the Statewide Renal Clinical Network, developed the ‘Managing your care’ guide to support these patients with kidney health issues to self-manage their health care as they journey into adult specialist kidney care services.
Paediatric Nephrologist Dr Anna Francis said this pioneering project considers common challenges that young people with kidney disease face and demystifies what adult care looks like.
“Supporting transition into adult services is a priority for the Queensland Children’s Hospital and to lead the way in helping our consumers through that journey is really exciting,” Dr Francis said.
“We consulted broadly with renal services and consumers across the state, and clinicians are really passionate to improve the transition for consumers.”
Transplant Australia’s Matty Hempstalk knows all too well the complexity of navigating such a journey. Matty received his first transplant at age 14 before transitioning to adult care when there was minimal guidance for consumers.
“You’re going from an environment that is more child focused and guided, to needing to take more control of your health and being in large waiting rooms with older people,” Matty said.
“The Managing your care guide is very detailed and will be a great resource for children moving forward. It is designed to slowly help them get acquainted with their future service and I think it will take a lot of stress out of the process for children and their families.”
Dr Francis said the guide was a foundational body of work that will support other child and youth services in the development of their own paediatric to adult transition guides.
For more information about the guide, visit the Queensland Children’s Hospital Transitioning to Adult Care webpage or the Advancing Kidney Care 2026 site.
