Following the example of our colleagues in Victoria, the New Zealand Dialysis Access Coordinators (DACs) have decided to form a professional group, which was established during the national RSA conference in New Zealand. The group will be known as The Dialysis Access Coordinators Group New Zealand (DACNZ). The purpose of this group is to provide New Zealand DACs with professional and educational support. In order to achieve this, a national Strategy for Best Practice for DACs will be developed by the group to establish quality standards as well as practical standards for the practice of a DAC. We are also planning to develop national guidelines for the role of DACs by comparing existing job descriptions and current, individual scoping as previously determined by the National Scoping Committee. These guidelines can be used by DACs to support establishment and further development of their roles and in the process of having their roles scoped as Nurse Specialist positions.

DACNZ will have a formal organizational structure with a chair person. Our aim is to arrange for three meetings a year. The agenda for these meetings will contain an educational component and topics focused on professional development.

In our opinion DACNZ would be a great contribution to dialysis access related development and education in New Zealand and thus of benefit for the members of the RSA. We therefore would like ideally the DACNZ to be established under auspices of the RSA (NZ Branch)