Application process open for $45 million for regional cancer centres

Public and private service providers are invited to apply for grants totalling $45.5 million, to develop regional radiation treatment centres for local cancer patients in ten regions across four states.

 

The Australian Government is providing the funding to improve access to radiation therapy for thousands of cancer patients in rural and regional areas of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

 

Currently, cancer patients in these areas have to travel to major centres to obtain their radiation therapy. This can be an exhausting and expensive process, adding to the stress of a cancer diagnosis on the individual, their family and carers.

 

The Government’s investment will reduce the need to travel outside the region and allow many patients to access all of their cancer treatment services in one place.

 

Public and private service providers are encouraged to form consortia to apply for the funding, as this will maximise their ability to provide the new or expanded cancer treatment centres.

 

New and innovative approaches to delivering radiation therapy services in regional Australia are encouraged.

 

The locations of the new radiation cancer treatment centres were announced in 2019:

·      South Coast (Bega /Eurobodalla), NSW.

·      Grafton and Clarence Valley, NSW.

·      Far North Coast, NSW.

·      Mid North Coast (Nambucca, Kempsey), NSW.

·      Taree, NSW.

·      Armidale, NSW.

·      Western NSW (Griffith).

·      Gladstone, Qld.

·      East Gippsland, Vic.

·      Mt Gambier and Limestone Coast, SA.

 

Funding for this initiative comes from the Australian Government’s Health Infrastructure Program, an important part of our long term health reform agenda. 

 

The program is building, upgrading and expanding vital health infrastructure to ensure Australia’s health system is equipped to meet current and future health needs.

 

The open competitive grants process for the $45.5 million, which will be provided over five years from 2020-21, will open today at 4pm (Thursday 13 August 2020) for eight weeks and close on Wednesday 7 October 2020.

 

Full details can be found on GrantConnect.