A Labor Government will fund a specialist nurse position for three years to support Tasmanian NeuroEndocrine cancer patients navigate the health system, access education and peer support.
Today, I am joined by NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia CEO Meredith Cummins and Tasmanian Rob Hammond, who lives with NeuroEndocrine cancer and has sadly watched his brother and sister die from this disease.
Rob has made it his personal mission to ensure Tasmanians are educated about NeuroEndocrine cancers and for the state to have its own specialised support nurse.
This policy would mean that Tasmania will be the first state to fund a community-based NeuroEndocrine specialist nurse, which will cost $130,000 per year.
There are more than 500 Tasmanians living with NeuroEndocrine Cancer – Australia’s seventh most diagnosed cancer – with around 100 new cases diagnosed each year.
Often this form of cancer is misdiagnosed, with patients having a 51 per cent five-year survival rate. There is no cure.
Currently there is only one full-time telehealth nurse supporting 24,000 patients across Australia and this position does not receive any government funding.
Labor understands the importance and benefits of providing Tasmanians living with diseases with a dedicated and specialised nursing support service.
