COMMUNITY advocates have put the creation of an Aboriginal Workforce Plan on the agenda for the Bega and Eurobodalla regions as part of Cancer Council’s Saving Life 2015: Change Starts Here campaign.
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In collaboration with Indigenous community members and workers, Cancer Council NSW found an insufficient Indigenous health workforce in cancer services is likely to contribute to late diagnosis, inadequate treatment and care, and poorer long term outcomes.
To help reduce the burden for Indigenous people, Cancer Council is calling on the next State Government to take action on this issue along with four other issues that will help reduce the number of people diagnosed with cancer and improve the quality of life of those living with the disease.
These include increasing palliative care services, and addressing the selling of tobacco, chemotherapy co-payments, and access to care coordination.
“Aboriginal people in NSW are seven per cent more like to get cancer than non-Aboriginal people, 70 per cent more likely to die, and less likely, if they are diagnosed, to initiate or complete cancer treatment,” Cancer Council NSW Southern Region community programs coordinator Jennifer Mozina said.
“Developing an Aboriginal Health Workforce Plan specifically for cancer services, whereby Aboriginal people are cared for by an Aboriginal health worker, will help address this gap.”
For more information visit www.cancercouncil.com.au/savinglife.