The Gold Coast Hospital and Health service understand that receiving a cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelming and difficult time, with many hospital visits for investigations, appointments and treatment planning.
The Specialist Cancer Nursing Team (SCNT) is a dedicated team of Advanced Practice Nurses who are available to support Patients and their families throughout this time, focusing on providing useful information, education and support at key times throughout the cancer journey.
We advocate for every patient to be treated with dignity and respect, ensuring they feel heard and supported to make their own decisions and maintain the best possible quality of life - before, during and after cancer treatment.
The SCNT have dedicated nurse/nurses for the following cancer types:
- Brain (CNS) cancer
- Head and Neck cancer
- Breast cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers (including GIST)
- Pancreas cancer
- Gynaecological cancers
- Prostate Cancer
- Colorectal (Bowel) cancers
- Rare Cancers (including Sarcoma / Neuroendocrine tumours / thyroid cancer)
- Melanoma & Skin cancer
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
The SCNT also have a dedicated number of Nurse Navigators who help patients, and their families understand the health system, coordinate care, and support through every step of their treatment journey:
- Nurse Navigator (Medical Oncology)
- Nurse Navigator Genito-Urinary Cancers (including bladder and Kidney cancer)
- First Nations Nurse Navigator
Referrals to our service are instigated at one of your first appointments with Medical Oncology or Haematology, or via an inpatient admission following a confirmed diagnosis of cancer. Our service operates Monday to Friday, but specific working days for individual specialist nurses will be provided at the time of introduction.
Our SCNT can also provide referrals to other allied health services within the hospital, including Psychology, Social Work, Dieticians, Physiotherapy and Speech Pathology, as well as not-for-profit organisations that may have the capacity to further support patient needs.
Specific information and education resources are provided to patients at their first appointment; however the websites below may offer some useful general information:
- Cancer Treatments Online - eviQ
- Patient information - Cancer Institute NSW
- Cancer Council Queensland - Navigating Cancer Together
- Lung Foundation Australia - Together We're Making A Difference
- Lymphoma Australia - No one needs to face lymphoma alone
- Head and Neck Cancer Australia
- Bowel Cancer Australia - Awareness, Support and Research
- Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia
- Breast Cancer Network Australia
- McGrath Foundation - Cancer Care Support and Awareness
- Melanoma Institute Australia - For Patients
