The Morrison Government has increased its support for men battling prostate cancer, after it launched the Position Statement for Distress Screening and Psychosocial Care for Men with Prostate Cancer, developed by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men, with around 19,500 men in Australia being diagnosed with prostate cancer this year.
Between 1986-1990 and 2011-2015, the five-year relative survival from prostate cancer improved from 59% to 95%.
While this is undoubtedly a positive development, survivors of prostate cancer often have to deal with the side effects of their treatment for longer.
The development of the Position Statement for Distress Screening and Psychosocial Care for Men with Prostate Cancer acknowledges the psychological issues faced by men with this illness.
It provides recommendations to ensure men diagnosed with prostate cancer are monitored and screened to identify their levels of distress so they receive the appropriate care and support when they need it most.
The Position Statement follows our increased commitment to the Prostate Cancer Nurses Program, with new funding of $17.35 million announced in the 2019-20 Budget.
The funding will provide an additional 34 prostate cancer nurses from 2020-21 to 2022-23, resulting in 62 Commonwealth-funded nurses across Australia.
It is anticipated that up to 15,000 men with prostate cancer will be assisted over this period.
In 2018 the Morrison Government invested $6 million through the Movember Foundation's Prostate Cancer Research Alliance to further new research aimed at reversing the number of deaths caused by the disease.
Our Government is committed to improving health outcomes for men with prostate cancer and provides significant investment through research, diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer.
