Despite COVID, look at what regional Victoria can achieve – Cancer Care Centre progress

A vision to respond to high incidences of cancer is closer to reality with excellent progress on Bass Coast Health’s new Cancer Care Centre.

George Grigoriadis, Specialist Haemotologist joined Bass Coast Health almost two years ago to start Cancer services at Wonthaggi Hospital with Dr Abbey Willcox and to help shape the vision for the new Cancer Care Centre. This week, between consulting with clients, George checked in on the emerging build.

“This a an extraordinary site and opportunity and I’m excited for our Bass Coast community. The design will see all of our services working together so that our patients feel well supported”.

“To me it’s the most amazing and enjoyable thing to be part of. It gives me purpose working with this team to realise what we can contribute to this community,” reflected George.

“This six months has emphasised the need to treat patients locally. This will be a model for other regional places throughout Victoria and Australia”.

Working with community and specialists together, it is a symbiotic relationship.

In planning for this beautiful facility we were adamant that this will be about growing capability in the region. We are catalysts to attract the next generation of people to lead from here”, says George, passionate about the future of Bass Coast Health.

The Bass Coast Health team embarked on a deliberate and concerted effort to increase the level of cancer care available locally. At the heart of this vision was an integrated care model that could be realised through a dedicated facility.

“Our cancer services have grown since commencing, with specialist Haematologists such as George, Specialist Medical Oncologists such as Professor Mark Shackleton and Adj Assoc Prof Andrew Haydon, and Specialist Radiation Oncologist Associate Professor Hany Elsbeth all providing regular world class cancer care at BCH. These specialists are joined by our BCH nursing and Pharmacy staff who underwent training at Allred Health, to ensure our chemotherapy treatments are safe and of a high quality”, said Louise Sparkes, Chief Operating Officer, Bass Coast Health.

“We know that this is already making a huge difference to patients and their families in our region. It’s a very exciting time for our community and the staff at BCH”, said Louise.

The modern treatment centre will offer nine chairs and three consulting rooms at Wonthaggi Hospital and expand the newly developed Cancer service that is already being delivered in collaboration with Alfred Health.

Co-designed by staff and patients the build is possible thanks to outstanding support from the Australian Government announced by the Member for Monash Russell Broadbent and many donations from our very generous local community including a special anonymous donor who provided 850K towards this fabulous new building.

“We have had extraordinary support from the Commonwealth Government in funding much of the building, the Victorian Government in funding the doctors and nurses and the growth of this service, and a truly wonderful local community that has supported the furnishings and equipment. We will open the doors of this much needed facility in February 2021 and we couldn’t be more excited” said Jan Child, CEO. “We feel very blessed”.