The $6.5 million Centre for Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplant and Urology replaces Westmead's existing facilities and is purpose built for better patient care.

It has a 15-bed dialysis ward, a 32-bed capacity inpatient ward and an outpatient centre.

Professor Jeremy Chapman, the centre's director, said the new facilities would help to meet increasing demand as treatments become more successful, the population ages and people live longer which chronic diseases, especially type 2 diabetes.

``While the new centre will be an important hub for the delivery of renal services, there will also be an increasing focus on delivering dialysis services in the home and at community locations,'' Professor Chapman said.

``Our hospital-based services are increasingly needed only for our most seriously ill patients and our transplant program and this new centre has been specially designed to meet that need.''

NSW Health Minister Reba Meagher visited the centre last week and said it would service the needs of the Australian National Pancreas Transplant Unit and the Clinical Islet Transplant Program.

``This world-class facility is part of the Iemma Government's $14 million program to expand dialysis services across the state which will see 176 new treatment places created,'' Ms Meager said.

The centre completes the $170.5 million first stage redevelopment of Westmead Hospital, which includes new services for women and babies, cancer care and allied health.