PCPA Media Release – Tuesday 19 September 2023

“Do the training, even if your values do not align”, PCPA experts explore the moral minefield of Voluntary Assisted Dying

Australia’s pioneer experts in Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) have called on all cancer specialists and GPs to undertake training for this controversial and legalised end-of-life decision by patients, even if it doesn’t align with their respective values or views.

PCPA Victorian Director and board member, Dr Cam McLaren, led an emotive and powerful podcast with colleagues, PCPA member and genetic oncologist, Dr Hilda High and Ms Laurie Draper from the Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying Care Navigator Service, to help colleagues and patients navigate the complex and challenging medical and moral mine field of VAD.

Download a copy of this media release in PDF.

PCPA Media Release – Thursday 25 May 2023

Private Cancer Physicians of Australia launches its debut Live MDT Masterclass with cancer care industry leaders

Sydney: The inaugural PCPA Live Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT) Masterclass in cancer treatment, was successfully launched this week, by the peak body for private cancer clinicians and its Strategic Alliance Partner, GenesisCare.

Under the leadership of PCPA Board member and leading GenesisCare Medical Oncologist, Professor Stephen Clarke and his colleagues, Dr Katrina Moore and Dr Sally Baron–Hay, healthcare leaders from Gilead Australia (Gilead) experienced, first-hand, what a day-in-the-life of a breast cancer patient, undergoing complex treatment, really entails for them and their MDT teams.

The two-day interactive Masterclass was held at the North Shore Campus in Sydney, which incorporates GenesisCare and Royal North Shore Hospital.

More than 15 cancer care industry leaders were immersed in the on-site application of surgical interventions, genomic profiling and ground-breaking medical and radiation oncology treatments. After a curated lecture series, participants engaged, first hand, with the Breast Cancer MDTs, through  a radiation oncology clinic, hospital pharmacy and a busy chemotherapy day suite. They even learnt insider tips about oncology cold caps that many patients opt to use to minimise hair loss.

“Our biopharmaceutical leaders rightly focus on the creation, data analytics and market access of new and innovative cancer therapies but we want them to truly understand the experience of Australian patients undergoing those very tests and treatments,” Professor Clarke said. “Physically joining the journey of a cancer patient, and their respective team of cancer clinicians and breast care nurses, not only deepens the empathy and appreciation of the daily challenges facing our patients but it ultimately leads to more effective collaboration between all of us, in this delicately balanced cancer care eco system.”

Professor Clarke and the PCPA Board, paid tribute to Gilead and its healthcare professionals, for ensuring the debut Live MDT Masterclass was a truly empowering experience, whilst showcasing the outstanding MDT healthcare professionals and facilities of the North Shore Campus.

One of the leaders in the Masterclass, Ms Lisa Perry, Senior Business Unit Director Oncology of Gilead agreed.

“Our team now has an exponentially better understanding of the full breast cancer patient experience because we have seen, first-hand, the multidisciplinary team approach across both campuses,” Ms Perry said. “We can’t thank the PCPA enough for this immersive experience that will, no doubt, help us to deliver better outcomes for patients.”

PCPA also applauded its Education Partners, ScienceToLife, for the design and smooth delivery of this unique education initiative.

“This bespoke PCPA MDT Masterclass underscored the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork, delivering the gold standard treatment for breast cancer patients in two world-class cancer care centres,” Professor Clarke said. END

NB: Full patient approval and confidentiality was maintained.

More details about the PCPA’s Strategic Alliance Partnership, and its immersive education platforms, can be found here

Media enquiries:

Jannette Cotterell. Executive Counsel Australia +419 204 059 jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au

Download a copy of this Media Release in PDF.

 


About Us

The Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the improvement of the health system for all cancer patients, but particularly for private cancer patients in Australia.

Our mission is to promote and work towards a health system that provides high quality, fair, integrated cancer treatment

 

PCPA Media Release – Thursday 4 May 2023

Cancer experts, patient advocates, industry and political leaders prepare to debate the true value of oncology

#Embracing the Challenge

Canberra. Australia is riding a wave of emerging innovative and ground-breaking diagnostic technologies and cancer treatments but how do Australian patients gain timely and affordable access to them when the Government is under pressure to reign in its health spending?

These are the pressing issues to be debated this weekend, at the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of the peak body for cancer clinicians, the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA).

Government backbencher and breast cancer patient, Peta Murphy MP, will join the Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, leading oncology experts and patient advocates in Melbourne for the highly anticipated “Embracing the Challenge: Advancing Cancer Care” PCPA conference.

More than 170 medical and radiation oncologists, haematologists (Consultants and Advanced Trainees) and cancer nurses, will spend two days unpacking the latest cancer care developments, from precision medicine and molecular testing, Theranostics and CAR T-cell therapy to the importance of prehabilitation and optimising psychosocial and supportive care for patients.

Participants will be asked to consider “the true value of oncology” and when is the price of access is too high? CEO and founder of Rare Cancers Australia, Mr Richard Vines, will argue that more needs to be done to improve access and affordability to these exciting but expensive game-changing developments, such as Comprehensive Genome Profiling, that allows researchers to identify Australians with rare or untreatable cancers and direct them into clinical trials.

In a panel discussion on “empathy and access – why both matter’, delegates will hear the unique perspectives of politician-now-patient, Ms Murphy with her oncologist, Dr Richard de Boer.

Should oncologists offer the best and latest cancer care treatment, even if they believe it will put their patient under immense financial pressure? Joining this important debate will be the CEO of the Breast Cancer Network of Australia, Ms Kirsten Pilatti and Senator Ruston, who will also share her expectations of next week’s 2023-2024 Federal Budget.

President of the PCPA, Associate Professor Christopher Steer, said the 2023 ASM’s central themes of access and affordability were very timely, coming just days before the Government hands down its second Federal Budget.

“Australians with cancer, are already struggling with the soaring cost of living and they should not have to choose between their mortgage or rent and a life-saving diagnostic technology or treatment,” A/Professor Steer said. “We all need to come together and work closely with Government and the biopharmaceutical industry, to find a way over these existing barriers of unacceptable regulatory delays and increasing costs. Our patients deserve no less.”

More details about the PCPA ASM 2023 “Embracing the Challenge” can be found here.

Media enquiries:

Jannette Cotterell. Executive Counsel Australia +419 204 059 jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au

Download a copy of this Media Release in PDF.

PCPA Media Release – Monday 27 February 2023

PCPA launches its Strategic Alliance Partnership

Cancer survivor and author, Dr Ben Bravery, stars in debut PCPA podcast

#embracing the challenge

Canberra. The nation’s peak body of private cancer specialists today launched an innovative suite of interactive education and engagement platforms, to further advance the cancer care journey of Australians.

The President of the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA), Associate Professor Christopher Steer, said prioritising the needs of Australians with cancer, and those who care for them, was the driving force behind its inaugural Strategic Alliance Partnership program.

The first partnership initiative, to be launched today, is the PCPA Cancer Patient Management podcast series, with cancer patient-turned doctor and author, Dr Ben Bravery. Dr Bravery delivers a searing patient perspective and says being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer motivated him to try and change the health system from within.

“Empathy is a skill that requires time and energy,” Dr Bravery warns his fellow physicians. “Neglect it and it atrophies like a wasting muscle.”

In today’s discussion with PCPA board member, Dr Cameron McLaren and fellow medical oncologist, A/Prof Katrin Sjoquist, Dr Bravery says he wants all doctors to “remember that the problem in front of them is actually a person”.

The podcast, launched today, is being supported by leading oncology healthcare provider, Servier Australia. The CEO, Mr Brad Lloyd, said Servier was proud to be a founding Strategic Partner with the PCPA.

“We’re committed to improving the lives of all Australian cancer patients today and working together to develop better treatments for tomorrow,” Mr Lloyd said. “Ben’s mission to highlight the importance of connection and empathy in healthcare is one we support wholeheartedly.”

Servier Australia joins Gilead, GenesisCare and Fletcher Clarendon as the initial founding Strategic Alliance Partners with the PCPA.  With support from PCPA’s education allies, ScienceToLife, the Partners will engage in other high impact, immersive education and engagement initiatives including on site Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) live masterclasses, virtual symposiums, horizon scanning and strategic roundtables.

President of the PCPA, A/Prof Christopher Steer, hailed 2023 as a watershed year for the PCPA. For the first time, it was expanding its membership to include radiation oncologists and formally collaborating with organisations who share the PCPA’s values and its mission-critical aim to ensure cancer patients are at the forefront of all decision making.

“We will bring together the best minds in cancer care diagnosis and treatment, hospital and clinical trial innovation, advanced technology and equitable health policy”, A/Prof  Steer said. “We believe the cancer care journey, especially through the private health system, should be the absolute best it can be for our patients, their families and our members who are entrusted to care for them.”  ENDS

 

Media contact:

Jannette Cotterell. Executive Counsel Australia. jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au

Mobile: 0419 204 059

The PCPA Cancer Patient Management Podcast series “Embracing the Challenge” with Dr Ben Bravery, can be found here

 

NB: Dr Steer is a practicing regional based oncologist and may not be available at all times

 

About Us

The Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) is a not-for-profit member organisation dedicated to the improvement of the health system for all cancer patients, but particularly for private cancer patients in Australia. Our members are medical and radiation oncologists and haematologists.

 

Our mission is to promote and work towards a health system that provides high quality, fair, integrated cancer treatment that benefits patients and supports medical practitioners.

 

Download a copy of this Media Release in PDF.

PCPA Media release – Friday 8 July 2022

Asst Minister for Health and Aged Care joins a stellar line-up of speakers at Private Cancer Physicians of Australia’s annual Scientific Meeting

Media release: Embargoed until Friday July 08, 2022

#beyondandtogether #PCPA2022

Canberra: More than 200 cancer consultants and trainees, patient advocates and healthcare professionals from the private hospital and pharmaceutical sectors will come together for the first time in three years, for the much-anticipated Private Cancer Physicians of Australia’s (PCPA) Scientific Meeting and Medical Oncology and Haematology Advanced Trainee Conference in Melbourne on Saturday July 30 and Sunday July 31, 2022.

The new Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP, will open the conference and outline the Albanese Government’s first term health agenda.

Delegates will also hear from leading oncology and healthcare experts on the latest developments in patient-centred care in medical oncology and haematology and on topics as diverse as optimising Telehealth in cancer care, Voluntary Assisted Dying in Victoria – 2 years later, unpacking the complexities of Medicare and billing, how pharma, patients and cancer specialists are collaborating on access to vital medicines, the role of genomics and genetics in cancer treatment, oncologists in private hospitals and why communications matter: a patient’s perspective.

The President of the PCPA, Associate Professor Christopher Steer, said his board and members are eager to meet face-to-face after such an exhausting and stressful two and a half years.

“The pandemic has been particularly hard for Australians with cancer and those who care for them,” A/Prof Steer said. “We know that the focus has rightly been on protecting patients as much as we can from this terrible global health scourge and, whilst it’s not over yet, we can take a moment to come together and hear from some extraordinary cancer care experts and leaders in patient advocacy.”

A/Prof Steer said that, for the first time, the annual PCPA Scientific Meeting with the Advanced Trainee Conference would be combined – allowing young medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and haematologists to learn from the experts, meet face-to-face and network with their more established consultant colleagues. A/Prof Steer will be the co-convenor with Dr Cam McLaren (medical oncology) and Professor Miles Prince (haematology).

Delegates will also have the opportunity to meet leaders from private hospitals, including Icon Cancer Centre, Ramsay Health Care and GenesisCare (all Silver sponsors) and hear first-hand from oncology-specialist pharmaceutical companies, who will share insights into new treatments, clinical trials and the development of unique medicine-access platforms for patients and their oncologists.

Roche is the 2022 Platinum sponsor for the event. Arrotex, Takeda and Gilead share equal billing as Gold sponsors and the Silver sponsors include esteemed organisations, such as Ipsen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eisai and Servier Oncology. They are also joined by PCPA’s legal partners Fletcher|Clarendon and business advisors, the Private Practice.

Some of the Silver sponsors will come together on a panel ‘Beyond and Together’ to discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for cancer care in Australia.

“We are so incredibly excited and humbled to have so many experienced, knowledgeable and respected speakers address our members and guests on issues that go to the very heart of what it means to be a cohesive, collaborative and world class cancer care community,” A/Prof Steer said.

The programs for the Scientific Meeting and the Advanced Trainee (medical oncology and haematology) conference can be found here

Media enquiries

PCPA:

Jannette Cotterell. Executive Counsel Australia jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au

Mobile: 0419 204 059

NB: Assoc Professor Steer is a practicing regional-based oncologist and may not be available at all times

About the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia

The Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the improvement of the health system for all cancer patients, but particularly for private cancer patients in Australia.

Our mission is to promote and work towards a health system that provides high quality, fair, integrated cancer treatment

Private Cancer Physicians of Australia’s (PCPA) Scientific Meeting and Medical Oncology and Haematology Advanced Trainee Conference

Download a copy of this Media Release in PDF

Telehealth phone call rebates must be permanently reinstated

A communique: Friday 17 June 2022

Earlier this year, Telehealth (MBS) rebates for phone calls with specialists was extended, by six months, to June 30, 2022.

Without permanent reinstatement, our most vulnerable Australians – those who are elderly, those with cancer and other chronic diseases such as arthritis, and those living in regional and rural areas – will bear the brunt of the axing of vital Medicare rebates for phone calls with their specialists.

As patient advocates, and the Specialists who care for them, we are calling on the new Government to protect these at-risk Australians and permanently reinstate the Telehealth rebate for all phone consults. At the very least, we need 12-18 months of considered consultations to ensure no person is harmed (physically, mentally and/or financially) because they are unable to access video technology or travel to their specialist for a consult.

Removing the phone items for initial and standard consults, will penalise people who have poor internet connections, no access to technology or transport, are disadvantaged and/or are living remotely, and those who are older, disabled, or cognitively impaired.

Specialists, and the people they care for, may prefer to use video technology, or have the consultation in person but too often this is not possible nor safe for the patient. All patients must continue to have a suitable, alternative option available.

As a priority, Australians who are immunocompromised should not be forced to put their health at greater risk by attending medical settings and potentially be exposed to COVID-19 or influenza. Equally, making patients, and their carers, drive or even fly long distances, stay overnight, away from
their homes also places greater financial stress on these patients who are already struggling with out-of-pocket costs.

The ability to deliver remote care allows Specialists, who are unwell themselves with COVID-19 or other respiratory infections, to work from home without endangering their patients and other staff.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you.

If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact the President of Private Cancer Physicians of Australia A/Professor Christopher Steer on +61 2 6198 3279 or the Chair of Rare Cancers Australia, Mr Richard Vines on 02 4862 2768.

 

Download a copy of this Communique in PDF

 

Removing the financial toxicity from the cancer care journey

Private Cancer Physicians of Australia and Rare Cancers Australia call for a Cancer Care Patient Safety Net

Media release: Thursday, March 24, 2022

Canberra: A cancer diagnosis should not force any Australian to live under the poverty line.
The nation’s peak body of cancer specialists and the leading patient advocacy group have collaborated over a suite of measures, aimed at better protecting Australia’s most vulnerable patients from financial duress.

At the heart of the ‘Cancer Care, No Gaps’ proposal by the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia and Rare Cancers Australia is a Cancer Care Patient Safety Net which is triggered the moment a clear diagnosis of cancer is made.

Right now, cancer patients must spend more than $2133 on medicines1 (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) and $1542.10 on medical services2 (Medicare Benefits Scheme for non-concessional patients) in a calendar year before they can access the Government’s respective patient safety net schemes.

“To tell a patient they have cancer, is hard,” President of the PCPA, Associate Professor Christopher Steer said. “To watch that patient, and their family, then struggle with the worry and stress over the financial impact of such a diagnosis, is something we can no longer tolerate, without trying to do as much as we can to lessen that burden.

As private cancer physicians providing high quality, personalised, patient-centred care, we work very hard to negate the out-of-pocket expenses that are within our control. But there are also other appointments, scans, medicines and a range of unexpected costs, that quickly add up.”

A/Professor Steer said a Cancer Care Patient Safety Net was a simple, scalable approach mobilising a proven platform that is already in place for all Australian patients.

“Removing the financial toxicity of the cancer care journey is a shared priority,” the founding Chair and founder of Rare Cancers Australia, Mr Richard Vines said.

“In the first year of the pandemic, more than 7000 Australians either missed or delayed seeking diagnosis and treatment out of fear of contracting COVID-193,” Mr Vines said. “Many of these Australians were also dealing with the economic stress of the pandemic.
Sadly, cancer does not wait and nor do the bills, that can quickly pile up. No Australian should feel they can’t seek lifesaving treatment because of all of out-of-pocket costs that they incur along the way.”

Among the other initiatives the PCPA and RCA recommends the next Australian Government adopt are:

  • the provision of experienced patient facilitators to help all cancer patients and their families navigate
  • what can be an overly complex private health system;
  • Putting an end to bill shock with the creation of a technology-driven ‘financial concierge’ system to
  • ensure all bills (regardless of what, and where, that provider is) can be seen and centred in one
  • place;
  • permanent patient access to subsidised specialist phone consults; and
  • a pilot program to financially enable people living with cancer in rural and regional Australia to access investigator-led clinical trials away from home.

“We must always prioritise the wellbeing of our most vulnerable Australians,” A/Professor Steer said.

Mr Vines agreed. “We will do all we can to work with the next Government to reduce the out-of-pocket costs of those already struggling with cancer and ensure any future policy decisions do not add to the financial toxicity of their cancer journey.” ENDS

The Cancer Care, No Gaps election manifesto is available on request.

1. http://www.mbsonline.gov.au/internet/mbsonline/publishing.nsf/Content/Factsheet-MSNThresholds_1Jan2019
2. https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/medicare/pharmaceutical-benefits-scheme/when-you-spend-lot-pbs-medicines/pbs-safety-net-thresholds
3. https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/about-us/news/cancer-wont-wait-during-covid-19-pandemic


Media enquiries

PCPA:
Jannette Cotterell. Executive Counsel Australia jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au
Mobile: 0419 204 059
NB Assoc Professor Steer is a practicing regional-based oncologist and may not be available at all times

RCA:
Casey Virgin. Communications Manager casey.virgin@rarecancers.org.au
Mobile: 0499 880 742


About the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia

The Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the improvement of the health system for all cancer patients, but particularly for private cancer patients in Australia.

About Rare Cancers of Australia

Rare Cancers Australia Ltd (RCA) is a charity whose purpose is to improve the lives and health outcomes of Australians living with rare and less common (RLC) cancers. In Australia in 2017, an estimated 52,000 people were diagnosed with RLC cancers, and 25,000 died from them, according to Cancer in Australia 2017 estimates.

As distinct from common cancers (breast, prostate, bowel, lung and melanoma) there is very little patient support offered to RLC cancer patients. RCA works tirelessly to ensure that this cancer group will never be forgotten or ignored again.

Download a copy of this media release in PDF.

At risk cancer patients to continue to access Telehealth rebates

Cancer physicians applaud Government’s reversal of Telehealth cuts

Media Release Sunday January 16, 2021

Canberra: Australian cancer patients will still be able to access vital Medicare rebates for phone calls with their specialists – at least for the next six months – after the Australian Government reversed an unexpected decision to axe the Telehealth item.

The nation’s peak body of cancer specialists had been strongly advocating for their patients to continue to access subsidised phone call consultations, especially at a time when the surge in COVID-19 posed a great risk to those Australians with compromised immunity.

The Telehealth reforms were announced eight working days before they were due to start on January 01, 2022. It sparked immediate concerns for the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) who said too many cancer patients – elderly, regional, those without stable internet, with landlines only and those who couldn’t manage the technology – simply could not cope without access to subsidised phone consults.

The President of the PCPA, Assoc Professor Christopher Steer, said today’s announcement by the Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP and the Regional Health Minister, Dr David Gillespie MP, was an immense relief for Australia’s cancer patients, their families and their specialists.

“At a time of surging pandemic, we need our immunocompromised vulnerable Australians to stay at home and not be forced to travel into public areas where COVID-19 may be rampant,” A/Professor Steer said.

“We are very supportive of Telehealth, particularly during this pandemic and making it permanent was a welcome decision but then the fine print was only revealed days before Christmas.”

After successfully and urgently advocating for the Medicare rebate (item number 91835) for phone call consults to be reinstated, A/Professor Steer praised the Government for being flexible and listening to cancer patients, and their specialists, before any unintended consequences were inflicted on such a vulnerable patient cohort.

The PCPA also welcomed the extension of Telehealth rebates for patients, who are in hospital, to receive a phone consultation with their specialist.

A/Professor also applauded patient advocacy groups, such Pink Hope, Rare Cancers of Australia and the Breast Cancer Network of Australia and colleagues from the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) and the Medical Oncology Group of Australia (MOGA) for their collaborative support.

The PCPA will continue to advocate for the reinstatement of the 50% loading (item number 112) for video consultations for regional and rural patients.

“We must always prioritise the wellbeing of our most vulnerable Australians,” A/Professor Steer said.

“We will do all we can to work with the Government to reduce the out-of-pocket costs of those already struggling with cancer and ensure any future policy decisions do not add to the financial toxicity of their cancer journey.” ENDS

Media contact:

Jannette Cotterell. Executive Counsel Australia. jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au

Mobile: 0419 204 059

NB Assoc Professor Steer is a practicing regional-based oncologist and may not be available at all times

Download a copy of this media release in PDF.