Nurse Navigator – First Nations - All Cancers
Adult

Nurse Navigator First Nations McGrath Cancer Care

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Emergency Referrals

Useful Management Information

The McGrath Identified First Nations All Cancers Nurse Navigator together with the tumour specific Specialist Cancer Nurse, supports adult Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who have been diagnosed with any type of solid/ blood maligancy, walking alongside them through every step of their cancer journey. This role follows the guidance of the Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer and focuses on:

Building strong partnerships – working together with GPs, specialists, non-government organisations, and outpatient services.
Improving the health system – helping to make care more coordinated and accessible, and connecting patients with primary health care.
Coordinating care – organising case conferences, linking with other health professionals, creating shared care plans, and supporting different care pathways.
Helping patients get the best outcomes – offering culturally safe, personalised care that is based on the person’s goals, including counselling, connection to services, and support for self-management.

The overall goal is to deliver high-quality care that eases pressure on the health system while improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. The approach is grounded in wellness and empowerment.

The role of the McGrath Identified First Nations Nurse Navigator is to act as a primary point of contact for First Nations patients and their families, with a diagnosis of cancer. Encouraging engagement with health services by acting as a liaison between health professionals and the provision of advanced practice nursing care, education, assessment, interventions, and other important health information within clinical scope.

Minimum Referral Criteria

Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?

Category 1 (appointment within 30 calendar days)	Patients who identify as first nations, have a confirmed diagnosis of a solid/blood malignancy and under the care of a physician at the Gold Coast Health Service with one of the following: Patients with complex care requirements requiring care from multiple disciplines Support for newly diagnosed cancer patients Patients planned for adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment
Category 2 (appointment within 90 calendar days)	Patients with recurrent or metastatic disease Palliative patients
Category 3 (appointment within 365 calendar days)	No Criteria
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria Assessment and management information may be found on a range of conditions at HealthPathways If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes the patient requires specialist review, a clinical override may be requested: Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.) Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service

Standard Referral Information

Reason for request

To establish a diagnosis
For treatment or intervention
For advice and management
For specialist to take over management
Reassurance for GP/second opinion
For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
Reassurance for the patient/family
For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

Relevant clinical information about the condition

Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
Physical findings
Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
All conservative options that have been pursued unsuccessfully prior to referral
Body mass index (BMI)
Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
Any special care requirements where relevant (e.g tracheostomy in place, oxygen required)
Current medications and dosages
Drug allergies
Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

Patient's Demographic Details

Full name (including aliases)
Date and country of birth
Residential and postal address including whether patient resides at an aged care facility
Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
Medicare number (where eligible)
Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
Name of delegate and contact details (Department of Corrective Services)
Preferred language and interpreter requirements
Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Any special needs, access requirements and/or disability relevant to the referral

Referring Practitioner Details

Full name
Full address
Contact details – telephone, fax, email
Provider number
Date of referral
Signature
Nominated general practitioner’s details (if known), if the nominated general practitioner is different from the referring practitioner

Other relevant information

Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)

Essential Referral Information

Confirmation of which Gold Coast Health Service oncology or haematology team/consultant has care of patient
Radiologically confirmed cancer diagnosis
First Nations status confirmed

Additional Referral Information

Medical co-morbidities or complex care needs of patient
Proposed plans of any surgical treatment or procedures.
List any specialties the patient will be engaging with

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Preferred Method
About Smart Referrals

Secure Web Transfer

Medical Objects Account: GQ42150009Z

Healthlink EDI: Qldgchsd

Internal Referrals

Nurse Navigator – First Nations McGrath Cancer Care qhRefer

Fax

(07) 5687 4497

Post

Gold Coast University Hospital
1 Hospital Boulevard
Southport QLD 4215

Enquiries

Not available

Related HealthPathways

No directly related pathways found

HealthPathways home page

Service Availability

Dr Marcin Dzienis

Medical Director Radiation Oncology (ICON Cancer Care)

Facilities

No facilities listed

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.

Nurse Navigator – First Nations - All Cancers Adult