The Minns Labor Government is delivering the state's first Aboriginal Cancer Strategy and a funding boost of $12 million to improve cancer outcomes in Aboriginal communities.
Released on World Cancer Day - the NSW Aboriginal Cancer Strategy: Caring for Kin and Country will embed a community-led approach to give Aboriginal people better access to the healthcare they need to close the cancer gap.
In Australia, Aboriginal people are 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with and 2.1 times more likely to die from cancer, when compared with the wider population.
The Strategy aims to drive real change to close this unacceptable gap by bolstering the Aboriginal cancer workforce and partnering with communities to deliver culturally safe cancer screening, prevention and care.
The Strategy was developed by the Cancer Institute NSW in consultation with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) of NSW and informed by extensive consultation with Aboriginal communities across the state, to ensure it reflected Aboriginal voices and lived experiences.
As part of this commitment, the NSW Government is delivering $12 million to fund Aboriginal cancer care coordinators across the state, supporting culturally safe care for Aboriginal patients, their families and communities.
Delivered by Cancer Institute NSW and the AH&MRC, the funding will be used to employ Aboriginal cancer care coordinators at 10 local health districts (LHD) and 15 Aboriginal medical services.
The positions have been successfully piloted by Cancer Institute NSW across four LHDs (Murrumbidgee, Northern NSW, Central Coast and Sydney) from 2021.
Aboriginal people employed in these roles provide a link between the health system and Aboriginal people with cancer, by liaising with healthcare workers, attending appointments with patients, providing connections to support services and ensuring cultural needs are considered.
The Strategy supports numerous Government initiatives to close the cancer care gap for Aboriginal people, including lowering the recommended age for Aboriginal women to breast screen to 40 years, tailored cancer prevention campaigns and the 'What Matters 2 Adults' wellbeing tool which measures what is important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
The Strategy is linked to the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024-2034 and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
For more information and to download the Strategy visit: https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/aboriginal-cancer-strategy
Minister for Health Ryan Park, said
"The cancer care gap for Aboriginal people living in NSW is unacceptable and demands our collective and urgent action.
"The Strategy acknowledges how inter-generational trauma experienced by Aboriginal people has contributed to the cancer care gap and aims to embed a collaborative and community-led approach to achieve equitable cancer outcomes for Aboriginal people in NSW."
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister for Medical Research David Harris, said:
"This Strategy delivers practical solutions to better enable Aboriginal people to receive the cancer care they need to close the unacceptable gap in health outcomes.
"I am particularly proud of the Strategy's focus on increasing community-led cancer prevention, screening and treatment for Aboriginal patients that reflects the importance of family and culture.
"The $12 million to fund Aboriginal cancer care coordinators across the state will ensure many more Aboriginal people in NSW will access the care they need."
NSW Chief Cancer Officer and Chief Executive Cancer Institute NSW Professor Tracey O'Brien AM, said:
"Aboriginal communities have faced persistent inequities in cancer outcomes yet continue to show remarkable strength and leadership.
"By ensuring Aboriginal people are at the centre of decision-making through this Strategy, we're supporting care that honours Aboriginal people's needs, values and cultural strengths. The Strategy is a testament to the power of partnerships, the importance of listening and the strength of the world's oldest culture."
Chief Executive AH&MRC of NSW Nicole Turner, said:
"The Strategy is a roadmap for change, crafted with the guidance and wisdom of Aboriginal communities. It's only by listening to the stories, journeys and experiences of Aboriginal people that we can truly create healthier futures.
"This Strategy highlights the importance of the Aboriginal health workforce. These professionals provide not only exceptional care but improve the overall experience of people with cancer and their loved ones - in turn, breaking down barriers and generations of trauma."
Aboriginal cancer care coordinator, Western Cancer Centre at Dubbo Catherine Noble, said:
"I advocate for my patients through the entire process, from the beginning to the middle and the end, sitting with them during appointments to make sure they understand every word about their diagnosis and treatment options and linking them to supports.
"The support provided by Aboriginal cancer care coordinators is unique because we use our Aboriginal ways of being, knowing and doing to provide culturally appropriate care while complementing western medicine. It's being another Aboriginal face the patients can reach out to and relate to."
Jacqui Khan, Aboriginal person with a lived experience of cancer, said:
"The NSW Aboriginal Cancer Strategy is a great step in addressing the significant gap in cancer outcomes for our people.
"We've lost so many people from cancer, a disease which does not discriminate, and the Strategy identifies solutions which will assist in the prevention of cancer and earlier diagnosis."
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