Cancer Care

Cancer Care

The Cancer Plan was released in February 2020 setting out the next five years of strategy in relation to cancer services. This work was undertaken by the WA Department of Health, and the Health Consumers’ Council supported the project through running a community survey and developing consumer videos reflecting consumer patient journey experiences. A summary of survey results is available here. The launch event featured a moving and articulate presentation from Advisory Group member Susannah Morris, who ensured the consumer voice was at the heart of the plan as much as possible.

Cancer Research

In May the Health Department’s Health Research Future Fund sought feedback on the involvement of consumers in cancer research. A large forum was convened with researchers and clinicians across the sector. HCC was funded to enhance the consumer voice into the process. We undertook a consumer survey, and presented a short video with consumer and carer experiences of being involved in research. Click the link for the Consumer insights in Medical Research Cancer  PowerPoint.

In summary, we strongly agree with the National Health and Medical Research Council that:

“Consumer and community involvement is about research being carried out with or by consumers and community members rather than to, about or for them.”

The Cost of Cancer Care

The Health Consumers’ Council has partnered with Cancer Council WA to find out whether people are making informed financial decisions about where to get their cancer care.

We developed a short survey to find out more about the issue, and a report of the findings is here.

You may also be interested in a national consultation that Cancer Council Australia is running in partnership with Breast Cancer Network Australia, CanTeen and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia on their proposed standard for informed financial consent as a key component of delivering quality care.