Best care for people with cancer
Care Plus is a service that offers an extra layer of support for people with cancer.
Care Plus is provided alongside your usual care from your clinical team and its focus is to help you live well, and make sure you and your family have the support you need.
Why Care Plus?
Research from around the world shows that when people are having treatment for cancer, if they have access to a service like Care Plus, they have better outcomes.
For example, people describe having fewer symptoms and an improved quality of life. They feel more supported and their families also feel more supported. And for those who prefer, they spend less time in hospital and have fewer emergency department visits.
A number of studies have even shown that access to a service like Care Plus can lead to improved survival.
We think this is an important part to care that we are offering to all our patients with cancer.
- The Care Plus team -
Who is the
Care Plus team?
Care Plus is delivered by a team of palliative care doctors and nurses who are particularly interested in making sure people have this extra layer of support.
As needed, and in discussion with you, the Care Plus team can involve additional people who are trained to respond to the needs of people with cancer such as social workers, psychologists, physiotherapists, dieticians, spiritual/pastoral practitioners and volunteers.
What does Care Plus involve?
Care Plus is a service currently available at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Melbourne, and Lyell McEwin Hospital, Adelaide.
Your first appointment will be at a specialist clinic located at your treating hospital. There will also be some follow-up appointments over the following two months.
The Care Plus team will contact your GP to make sure that all your doctors are well informed to best support you.
Care Plus will be adapted to your needs and may include:
Relieving any symptoms that may arise, which may be physical, emotional, spiritual or social.
Providing extra information including links to other support services and organisations.
Support for your family including coping strategies and talking through your goals of care.
Available support at home such as equipment to aid care, household cleaning, delivering meals, patient transport, childcare and respite care (providing carers with a break from their caring role).
Best care for people with cancer
How to access Care Plus?
If you would like to access Care Plus, please speak with your cancer care team to arrange a referral.
All new referrals are reviewed within 48 hours by the Care Plus team.