The Rudd Government and NSW Government will invest $14.1 million to enhance cancer services at the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre at Wollongong.
The Rudd Government will provide $12.1 million and the NSW Government will provide a further $2 million to increase the provision of radiotherapy services at the Illawarra Regional Cancer Centre.
Upgrades will include:
- additional infrastructure for outpatient clinics and day oncology;
- enhanced facilities for haematology and therapies;
- one additional linear accelerator;
- one additional radiotherapy bunker;
- six additional chemotherapy chairs/beds; and
- medical diagnostic equipment.
With some cancers, patients from rural areas are up to three times more likely to die within five years of diagnosis than their counterparts. The $14.1 million investment in Wollongong will work towards improving services and care for the more than 32,000 NSW residents diagnosed with cancer each year.
Once fully operational, these enhanced facilities will allow for an estimated additional 414 radiotherapy patients to access treatment each year and for an estimated additional 3,000 chemotherapy treatments a year.
The Illawarra Regional Cancer Centre forms part of the Rudd Government's $560 million commitment to establish regional cancer centres so that Australians can get care closer to home and their community.
This initiative builds on the Rudd Government's investment of almost $403,000 in the Wollongong Hospital to reduce elective surgery waiting lists.
Since coming into office, the Rudd Government has committed over $2.3 billion in 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.