Community care is now being considered in place of a satellite centre. NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health Melinda Pavey, who called the meeting, said the difficulty was “we don’t have the patient numbers to justify a satellite dialysis unit.

“The Health Network and Monaro regional renal dialysis group shared their renal patient figures, which were very similar. We have a better understanding of the renal patient figures. There are around 70 patients with renal issues in the region,” she said.

“We are going to have another meeting and Kate Johnson of Kidney Health Australia will present a better model of community care for renal patient support,” Ms Pavey said.

Southern NSW Local Health Network board member and Councillor Bronnie Taylor said renal health was one of the biggest chronic health problems in Australia.

“It was a good meeting and everyone had the opportunity to explain their situation. There is still a commitment to the $1 million for renal dialysis care in Cooma,” she said.

“Self dialysis at home has the best outcome for the patient.

“It was good to hear from the Canberra nephrologist Dr Girish Talaukikar on the more efficient renal dialysis equipment available now,” she said.

Mrs Taylor said the regional renal dialysis group had done a magnificent job and together a solution could be found.

“We need to keep listening to the community. I am very excited to be part of a board that is looking at innovative health models of care,” she said.

Monaro Dialysis group vice chair Barbara Scanes said the meeting went well and there would be another meeting in six to eight weeks.

“We all put in our ideas and heard about all the different types of dialysis machines,” she said.

People are encouraged to contact Barbara Scanes, who is still collecting figures on the number of people with renal health issues that may need support now or in the future on 64523010.