Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent disease and a potential complication arising from diagnosis of diabetes. In New Zealand, at the end of 2012, 2469 patients were reported to be on dialysis with 1520 successfully transplanted patients (Australia & New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry 2013). It is estimated that CKD affects approximately 10% of the population, with Māori, Pacific, Asian and South Asian people experiencing a higher burden of this disease (New Zealand Guidelines Group 2012; The Best Practice Advocacy Centre New Zealand 2009). Māori with diabetes are at least three times more likely to have renal failure than non-Māori with diabetes. Early identification of individuals at high risk of renal complication post diagnosis of diabetes is important (New Zealand Guidelines Group 2012) as, ‘early intervention slows progression of end-stage renal disease and decreases cardiovascular risk’ (The Best Practice Advocacy Centre New Zealand 2009, p 24).
