Researchers involved in a large Australasian clinical trial on ways to improve home dialysis training for people with kidney failure say more work needs to be done to ease the burden on hospitals.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ), tested a standardised training programme called TEACH-PD for people using peritoneal dialysis - a form of dialysis that can be done at home rather than in hospital.

The trial involved 1,462 patients and healthcare workers at 42 centres across Australia and New Zealand.

The results showed the new training programme did not reduce infections - in fact, it was linked to a small increase in infection risk.

However, researchers say the trial has provided important lessons about how dialysis training should be delivered, and could lead to safer, more effective programmes in the future.

Professor David Johnson of the UQ's Australasian Kidney Trials Network (AKTN) and the Frazer Institute said kidney dialysis systems in Australia and NZ are at breaking point.

He said there is an urgent need to find ways to keep patients with kidney failure out of hospital settings.

"Our study is the first randomised trial to examine if an internationally guided peritoneal dialysis training curriculum reduces infections compared with existing local training practices."

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a treatment option for patients with kidney disease that has progressed to the point where kidneys can no longer function effectively on their own.

The treatment can be administered by a patient at home following training from a healthcare provider.

In Australia, it's estimated it could save taxpayers there $67,750 per patient annually compared with hospital-based dialysis units, according to Deloitte Access Economics.

Professor Yeoung Jee Cho, also at the ATKN, said the study demonstrated for the first time that the way patients and nurses were trained had a measurable impact on infection risk.

"The TEACH-PD intervention was associated with a small increase in infection risk," he said, "but the findings offer invaluable insights into the complexity of training delivery" and "will help shape safer, more effective training programs, while minimising unintended harm".

Of the 4.5 million people on dialysis for kidney failure, only 11 percent used the home-based treatment, he said.

A post-trial evaluation was underway to investigate improvements.

The research is published in eClinicalMedicine, and included researchers Professor Josephine Chow from Western Sydney University, Professor Neil Boudville from the University of Western Australia, Professor Suetonia Green from the University of Otago, and Associate Professor Rachael Walker from the University of Auckland.