Providing supportive health care to men living with prostate cancer
Project description
A model of supportive care for men living with prostate cancer within both the public and private sector has been devised by Ian Henderson, Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse at Royal Hobart Hospital, along with the ICON Cancer Centre Hobart and other private healthcare facilities. This model of care highlights that when government and private health care facilities work jointly together, it can remove inequities in health care with positive outcomes for patients and staff.
Funding for the Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse Program in Australia has been provided for the past 10 years by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). This funding has focused on the public hospital system, however in 2021, additional funding was provided to support patients within the private healthcare sector. The Royal Hobart Hospital were successful in applying for this funding, to improve access to supportive healthcare for private patients.
The specialist nurse support program includes face to face consultations, telehealth support and group workshops run across multiple sites in southern Tasmania. The nurse provides information and support upon diagnosis, discussing treatment options and assisting patients to access the various services and programs offered at different hospitals and healthcare centres, including support groups.
Further expansion of the program will ensure ongoing nurse led, supportive care for people living with prostate cancer in both the public and private acute sector.
Outcomes
Equitable access to supportive healthcare for men living with prostate cancer, provided by the Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse, can lead to:
Increased access to dedicated support and information on many aspects of cancer care, such as treatment options, management of side effects and sexual dysfunction
Increased referrals to tailored exercise programs, essential for men on androgen deprivation therapy
Improved emotional wellbeing through psychosocial support provided by Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse or through referral to specialist services
Enhanced social wellbeing through connection with others going through similar experience
Increased self-efficacy
Improved quality of life
Improved coordination of care during treatment pathway
Impact on the healthcare professional
The program can assist in providing greater coordination of care and support for the patient which can positively impact healthcare professionals. The delivery of dedicated information, education and support to the patient by the Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse, in a timely and personalised way, can lead to an empowered and connected patient, and improved quality of life.
Impact on the healthcare institution
The initiative assists in nurturing collaborative relationships between public and private health care staff, with a shared focus on the patient and improving their health outcomes. The Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse can assist in reducing the burden on the public health care system by providing timely access to care and support for men receiving treatment within the private sector.
Proposer
Royal Hobart Hospital
48 Liverpool Street
Hobart Tasmania 7000
ICON Cancer Centre
2 Melville Street
Hobart Tasmania 7000
Project contact person:
Louise Nicholson
louise.nicholson@ths.tas.gov.au
Project team members:
Louise Nicholson (Oncology Nurse Practitioner)
Ian Henderson (Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse (CNC))
Physiotherapists (Pelvic Floor)
Exercise Physiologists
