News

Work to start on MBH Oncology upgrade

Mon, 22 Jul 2013 08:48:00

Work is starting today (Monday July 22) on a half-million dollar upgrade of Mildura Base Hospital’s cancer treatment facilities.

The project represents a major advance in cancer treatment in Mildura, by allowing more patients to be treated locally instead of being transferred to Bendigo, Melbourne or Adelaide.
Mildura Base Hospital’s chief executive officer Dane Huxley said he was pleased to have work underway.
“It’s a huge step forward, and will provide really important improvements to services for many people who are going through the upheaval that a cancer diagnosis brings,” Mr Huxley said.
“Apart from improving the general environment for patients with cancer, this project will triple the physical size of the Oncology Department and will allow us to double the number of chemotherapy chairs to eight.”
Mr Huxley said development would also include an isolation room, a treatment room, a consultation room and a dedicated patient waiting room.
“It will keep more patients in their own environment where they are best-supported with family and friends, and will mean they can have their treatment without the added stress of having to travel up to 600 kilometres,” he said.
“Travelling, being isolated from support networks and the added financial costs of treatment away from Mildura is an extra burden patients have to endure during what is already a very traumatic period for them and their families.”
Mr Huxley said the expansion was in line with the “Victorian Health Priorities Framework 2012-2022: Rural and Regional Health Plan”, which requires healthcare to be patient and knowledge-focussed, and for services to be population-centred and delivered in a timely and appropriate way.
He said the expanded service would better meet the particular needs of the Mildura region.
“We service an area population of 60,000 people who are hundreds of kilometres from the nearest tertiary health facilities in Bendigo, Adelaide and Melbourne,” Mr Huxley said.
“The incidence rate of cancer is higher in Mildura than Victoria in general and it is increasing due to the ageing population, a higher Indigenous population, Mildura’s remoteness and the higher smoking rates here.”
The Victorian Cancer Registry estimates there are 3000 cancer patients in Mildura, with 300 new cases diagnosed each year.  It says chemotherapy treatments for Mildura patients are also typically more complex and have a longer average length of treatment.
The Oncology project is jointly-funded by the Victorian Government and Ramsay Health Care, with the State Government contributing $430,000 and Ramsay Health Care making an additional contribution of $50,000.
More than $100,000 of new medical and support equipment will be purchased to support the expanded service.
Work on the project is due to be finished in October.