Professor Paul Lawton
Honorary research fellow
Qualifications:
PhD, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, 2016; Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 2000; Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Melbourne, 1992
Location:
Darwin – Royal Darwin Hospital
Biography
Professor Paul Lawton is Professor & Director of Renal Medicine with Alfred Health and Monash University. Now an Honorary research fellow at Menzies he is a kidney specialist who has worked as a clinician across the Northern Territory since 1999, including four years as Director of NT Renal Services.
In his work at the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin, he addresses questions about the health care and outcomes for First Nations Australians not only in the Northern Territory but also nationally, using larger already existing clinical, registry and administrative datasets, including some data linkage. Where aren’t we doing well for First Nations Australians in the health system, why aren’t we, and how can we do better?
Research Themes
- Chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus and water quality in remote NT communities
- Indigenous Patient Voices
- eGFR study: accurate assessment of renal function and progression of chronic kidney disease in Indigenous Australians
- Distance and the impact of electrolyte results in the NT
- Evaluation of Danila Dilba Health Service’s chronic kidney disease case management program
- Improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Kidney Transplantation (IMPAKT-2)
- Urine ACR ratio and the impact of contaminants
- NT Haemodialysis Linked Data Partnership
- Using ANZDATA to examine Indigenous patient survival
- Quality of Care and Outcomes of Chronic Kidney Disease in NT Department of Health-run Primary Care
- Socioeconomic outcomes and ESKD
- Dialysis Models of Care: To improve the quality and access to dialysis treatments by Indigenous Australians from remote areas by using a patient-centred approach to determine the cost-effectiveness of treatment models that include the health, social and economic impact
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Lawton, P.D., Cunningham, J., Zhao, Y., Gray, N.A., Chatfield, M.D., Baade, P., et al. (2015) Survival of Indigenous Australians on Renal Replacement Therapy: Closing the Gap? Med J Aust. DOI 10.5694/mja14.00664
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Zhao, Y., Wright, J., Guthridge, S., Lawton, P. (2013) The relationship between number of primary health care visits and hospitalisations: evidence from linked clinic and hospital data for remote Indigenous Australians. BMC Health Serv Res., 13, 466.
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Maple-Brown, L.J., Hughes, J.T., Lawton, P.D., Jones, G.R., Ellis, A.G., Drabsch, K., et al. (2012) Accurate Assessment of Kidney Function in Indigenous Australians: The Estimated GFR Study. Am J Kidney Dis., 60(4), 680-2
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Maple-Brown, L.J., Cunningham, J., Hodge, A.M., Weeramanthri, T., Dunbar, T., Lawton PD, et al. (2011) High rates of albuminuria but not of low eGFR in Urban Indigenous Australians: the DRUID Study. BMC Public Health, 11, 346
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Rogers, N.M., Lawton, P.D., Jose, M.D. (2009) Indigenous Australians and living kidney donation. N Engl J Med., 361(15), 1513-6.
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Gruen, R.L., Elliott, J.H., Nolan, M.L., Lawton, P.D., Parkhill, A., McLaren, C.J., et al. (2008) Sustainability science: an integrated approach for health-programme planning. Lancet, 372(9649), 1579-89.
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Rogers, N.M., Lawton, P.D., Jose, M.D. (2006) Kidney transplant outcomes in the indigenous population in the Northern Territory of Australia. Transplantation, 82(7), 882-6.
Click here to view more Paul Lawton publications in PubMed.
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ABC | Concerns about drinking water quality in 'almost all' remote NT communities. What can be done about it?
Laramba resident Stanley Fletcher is worried that long-term exposure to the community's drinking water is making people sick.
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The Guardian | 'It makes us sick'
A remote NT community wants answers about uranium in its water supply.
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Study investigating possible link between water quality and kidney disease in remote Northern Territory
Residents in remote communities say their water supplies are making them sick. Dr Paul Lawton is collecting data about water quality and end-stage kidney disease.
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Confronting racism to improve healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with kidney disease
Action is urgently needed to confront the immense health disparities in kidney disease outcomes suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’
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A new action plan to tackle kidney disease
The Government has launched the National Strategic Action Plan for Kidney Disease and awarded $3.5 million in funding to organisations to take immediate action.
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Senator reveals personal story of kidney disease
Nephrologist at the Menzies School of Health Research, Paul Lawton, said his research team had been investigating key causes that dramatically impact upon remote Aboriginal communities.
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Sunday Territorian | Gift of life
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy discusses her kidney diseaese and treatment by Dr Paul Lawton
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SMH | Hope and healing
A new approach to treatment is helping Indigenous Australians fight kidney disease
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The Australian | Shortfall in transplants
A recent study in The Medical Journal of Australia found indigenous people on dialysis were “substantially less likely” than other Australians to be placed on the waiting list for a kidney.
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The Wire | Kidney bias: Indigenous Australians missing out on transplants
Menzies has released a study highlighting the life-saving surgery many are missing out on and co-author Dr Paul Lawton spoke about some of the key findings.
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National Indigenous Times | Indigenous patients in need of new kidneys aren’t getting a fair go
Indigenous patients with kidney disease are missing out on transplants because they are not being put on waiting lists for the potentially life-saving surgery, new research has found.
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Health system struggling with organ donation success
Researchers from the University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Menzies School of Health Research and Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry found the disparity had barely changed over time.
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National review to investigate low Indigenous kidney transplant rates
One of the members of the panel will be Dr Jaqui Hughes, Australia’s only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nephrologist, based at the Royal Darwin Hospital and at the Menzies School of Health Research, who said the news of the inquiry was “really welcome”.
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Feds unveil review of kidney process | NT News
The Federal Government is poised to announce an inquiry into indigenous access to kidney transplants.
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Budget 2018: Aboriginal patients convinced the Government to help them get home
On her island home, far away from talk of tax cuts and budget wins and losses, Jacqueline Amagula got the news she has been waiting and fighting for.
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Roundtable Towards Roadmap For Renal Health - Media Release
A renal roundtable convened by Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt AM in Darwin began charting the roadmap this week.
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ABC | Opinion: Not all doctors agree my patient deserved his kidney transplant.
Just before Christmas 2016, a 68-year-old man received a kidney transplant, one of 1,091 Australians that year.
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Indigenous Australians far less likely to get a kidney transplant
One in four Indigenous Australians will develop kidney disease, but new figures show that they are far less likely to be able to access a kidney transplant.
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Racist’ heath system failing NT Indigenous kidney patients
Menzies School of Health Research senior fellow and Dr G Yunupingu’s doctor Paul Lawton said while a non-indigenous kidney patient living in Darwin was as or more likely to receive a transplant as someone living in Sydney or Melbourne, that was not the case for Aboriginal people.
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Indigenous patients left feeling ’isolated’
AN INDIGENOUS dialysis patient being away from home and families is no good. That’s one of the messages from indigenous kidney patients calling for equitable care in a new report from Menzies School of Health Research.
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Remote kidney patients face homelessness
Patients and their support networks have called for equal health care closer to their homes in a new report released by the Menzies School of Health Research in the Northern Territory.
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Indigenous Australians travelling 1000 kilometres for kidney dialysis: report
In a new Menzies School of Health Research report, patients and carers from across northern and central Australia called on state, territory and federal government health ministers to overhaul the system to provide more holistic care.
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Indigenous kidney patients call for equitable care in new report
Indigenous people with kidney disease living in remote and rural Australia as well as their support networks have made a resounding call for equitable health care closer to home in a report released today by Menzies School of Health Research.
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Lucky Luke - The Darwin poet whose muse is a dialysis machine
In the Northern Territory in the 1990s, an Indigenous person was estimated to be 15 to 30 times more likely to have kidney failure than a non-Indigenous person. It was this disparity that compelled Paul Lawton, a kidney specialist, to move to Darwin from Melbourne.
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Kimberley patients forced to travel thousands of kilometres for essential dialysis training
A kidney health forum held in Darwin last week tabled the concerns of remote dialysis patients from Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
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ABC Online | Indigenous dialysis patients pushing for grassroots community health services
Aboriginal dialysis patients say too many people are dying a lonely death away from their families, because they cannot be treated at home. In remote parts of Australia, patients whose kidneys are failing often have to leave their home communities to seek dialysis treatments in larger cities and towns.
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NT News - Kidney research wins prize
NT NEWS reports Professor Alan Cass, wins the prestigious Kidney Health Australia Clinical Science Award.
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Professor Alan Cass, wins clinical science award
Kidney specialist and Director of Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies), Professor Alan Cass, was presented with the prestigious Kidney Health Australia Clinical Science Award tonight at the 53rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN ASM) conference dinner.
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Indigenous voices to be heard
Indigenous people with end-stage kidney disease from across northern and central Australia will be sharing their stories at an upcoming kidney conference in the hope of effecting change.
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ABC Radio National - 'tsunami' of kidney disease
At the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory, RN Drive's Patricia Karvelas sat down with two experts in the field. Melanie Rarrtjiwuy Herdman Representing the CEO of Miwatj Health Dr Paul Lawton Kidney specialist from the Menzies School of Health Research who treated Dr G. Yunupingu
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Australian Financial Review - Dr Paul Lawton at Garma
The loss of Dr G Yunupingu to kidney disease has shone a light on the "largely preventable" renal health nightmare afflicting remote communities, his doctor says.
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Weekend Australian | Legacy of Dr G Yunupingu
Weekend Australian | Legacy of Dr G Yunupingu - Dr Paul Lawtton
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Dr G Yunupingu chose to leave dialysis knowing he would die, doctor says
Late Arnhem Land musician Dr G Yunupingu chose to end his dialysis treatment knowing the dire consequences that would follow, his doctor has told the ABC.
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Who'd wanna listen to me? The humble genius of Dr. G. Yunupingu
The sad passing of Dr G Yunupingu with Mark Grose from the record label Skinnyfish and Dr Paul Lawton.
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No long term benefits for NT Government alcohol rehab program
NT Government's forced alcohol rehab program found to be expensive, with no long-term health impacts. The evaluation of the program, conducted by PwC's Indigenous Consulting and the Menzies School of Health Research.
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Addressing racism in Australia's health system.
Menzies research fellow, Dr Paul Lawton features on Radio Nationals Life Matters discussing research which shows Indigenous Australians experience discrimination in a range of ways when navigating the health system.
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NHMRC fellow shapshot: Dr Paul Lawton
Menzies research fellow, Dr Paul Lawton was recently awarded an Early Career Fellowship as part of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) yearly multi-million dollar funding round. Paul’s fellowship provides support for his...
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Top End health service delaying need for dialysis treatment amid soaring demand
A kidney health program at a Top End health service is making inroads in the battle against dramatically rising numbers of patients with dialysis-dependency and renal failure.
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'Institutionalised racism' reason for fewer Indigenous kidney transplants
Institutionalised discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians may be behind a widening gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients receiving kidney transplants, a kidney specialist and researcher has claimed.
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Dialysis urged for remote communities
For Yalmay Yunupingu, moving to Darwin for five years so her husband, the Yothu Yindi frontman and renowned Yolngu leader Dr Yunupingu, could receive dialysis for his end-stage kidney disease was a nightmare.
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MJA Insight: 'Let’s end kidney care disparity'
Redoubling efforts to prevent Indigenous Australians developing end-stage kidney disease is crucial given the social and practical difficulties of delivering complex care such as dialysis and transplantation in remote Australia, Dr Paul Lawton has warned.
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Study reveals new ground made in fight against kidney disease
New research has revealed an improvement in life expectancy for those suffering from end-stage kidney disease.