A-Z Index | Contact the Department | Search Advanced Search

Home > Ministers > The Hon Nicola Roxon MP - Minister for Health and Ageing > Media Hub > $84.8 Million for New and Enhanced Regional Cancer Services in Whyalla and Regional South Australia

View by date:

• May
  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December

• 2010
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004

Previous Ministers

PDF printable version of $84.8 Million for New and Enhanced Regional Cancer Services in Whyalla and Regional South Australia (PDF 23 KB)

18 May 2010

The Rudd Government and the South Australian Government will invest a total of $84.8 million to provide new and enhanced cancer facilities and equipment for Whyalla and regional South Australia, under the regional cancer centres initiative. This funding will deliver improved cancer services and outcomes for rural and regional patients.

With some cancers, patients from rural areas are up to three times more likely to die within five years of diagnosis than their counterparts in urban areas. The funding announced today for the ‘Regional Cancer Services, South Australia’ project will help improve cancer services and care for the more than 8,000 South Australian residents newly diagnosed with cancer each year.

Of the total funding for this project, the Rudd Government will provide $54.3 million for the development of a new regional cancer centre in Whyalla, in addition to funding of $15 million from the South Australian Government.

The investment of $69.3 million for a new regional cancer centre at Whyalla will include:

• a day chemotherapy centre;
• in-patient and palliative care facilities;
• a Wellness Centre;
• educational and research facilities; and
• more accommodation for patients and staff.

The project will also include funding of $2.48 million for the development of a digital tele-health network to create real time linkages between the Whyalla regional cancer centre, country general hospitals and metropolitan cancer service partners.

Importantly, the Whyalla regional cancer centre will form part of a state-wide network of 11 chemotherapy units across country SA, with funding of $5.4 million towards the establishment of chemotherapy units in the 10 other rural and regional sites: Mt Barker, Mt Gambier, Port Augusta, Victor Harbor, Clare, Murray Bridge, Gawler, Northern Yorke Peninsula, Naracoorte and Port Lincoln.

The project is in addition to the Rudd Government’s announcement of $7.6 million to build a new bunker and provide an additional linear accelerator at Lyell McEwin Hospital in northern Adelaide. This expanded facility will provide radiotherapy services for rural and regional cancer patients, and will link to the new cancer centre to be developed at Whyalla.

The regional cancer centres initiative is part of the Government’s plan to build a world-class cancer care system in Australia that will enable rural and regional Australians to have better access to essential cancer services, deal more effectively with cancer treatment challenges, and live longer with a better quality of life.

While Australia has better overall cancer survival rates than comparable countries, there is still unacceptable variation for some people, depending on the type of cancer, a person’s socioeconomic status or where they live.

It is of great concern to the Government that for the 30 per cent of Australians living in rural and remote areas, outcomes are worse than for people living in the city.

The Whyalla Regional Cancer centre forms part of the Rudd Government's $560 million commitment to establish a national network of best practice regional cancer centres so that Australians can get care closer to home and their community.

Since coming into office, the Government has committed over $2.3 billion for cancer infrastructure, medicines, screening and research.

Today's announcement also shows the benefit of the Federal Government stepping up to the plate and providing funding for health services across Australia.

Under the National Health and Hospitals Network, the Rudd Government would provide 60 per cent of the funding for capital upgrades for public hospitals.

The Rudd Government's plan will see health services funded nationally and run locally through local hospital networks to deliver better outcomes for local communities.

For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220.