When Ian Mawson was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011, specialist prostate cancer nurses were not yet available to him in Western Australia.
Fifteen years later, 18 PCFA specialist nurses work across WA, supporting thousands of men through diagnosis, treatment and life after cancer.
Now, the future of 14 Commonwealth-funded positions is at the centre of a dispute between the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) and the Federal Government over changes due to take effect next year.
Mr Mawson, a PCFA volunteer and co-leader of the Southsiders Prostate Cancer Support Group, fears the change could weaken a service he has spent years referring men to.
He was diagnosed with prostate and kidney cancer in 2011, underwent surgery and later joined the Gosnells-based support group after seeing a notice in the Examiner.
He eventually became a PCFA Life Force volunteer and said he has since given more than 75 presentations and attended community information events.
Although Mr Mawson did not have access to a PCFA specialist nurse during his own treatment, he has since met many men who have used the service.
“Several men have told me that they found the nurses extremely helpful when deciding which treatment to have,” he said.
“Several have said that they don’t think they would have survived the journey if they hadn’t had the PCSN support.”
PCFA chief executive Anne Savage said 18 PCFA specialist nurses currently work in WA, with 14 Commonwealth-funded positions affected by the change.
The remaining four are funded by host health services and are not affected.
The nurses work across metropolitan and regional WA, including at Fiona Stanley Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and services in Bunbury and Mandurah.
Ms Savage said WA nurses provide nearly 18,000 patient consultations each year, supporting nearly 5,000 new patients as well as thousands of existing patients.
The Federal Government will stop funding PCFA to deliver the Commonwealth-funded nursing program when its current agreement expires on June 30, 2027.
From July 1, Commonwealth funding for prostate cancer nursing will instead be provided through the McGrath Foundation, with the Government saying the same number of Commonwealth-funded full-time-equivalent positions will be maintained.
Special Envoy for Men’s Health Dan Repacholi said existing Commonwealth-funded prostate cancer nurses would be offered the opportunity to transition to McGrath and continue their specialist work.
“That’s how we retain their experience, their prostate cancer expertise and the trusted relationships they’ve built with patients and families,” he said.
If a nurse chooses not to transition, Mr Repacholi said McGrath would recruit a suitably qualified specialist nurse to maintain the position.
PCFA, however, says maintaining the number of Commonwealth-funded positions does not mean its existing specialist nursing service will remain intact.
Ms Savage said PCFA provides the training, clinical standards, professional development and clinical leadership behind its nurses.
“This is not a change of administrator,” she said.
“A specialist role governed by a national practice framework and specialist training is being folded into a general, multi-tumour program. That is a change to the care itself.”
Mr Repacholi rejected claims that prostate cancer expertise would be lost.
“These nurses won’t become general cancer nurses,” he said.
“They’ll remain specialist prostate cancer nurses supporting men through diagnosis, treatment and the ongoing impacts of prostate cancer.”
The Government said existing locations and coverage will be maintained wherever possible, with McGrath expected to work with nurses and health services to transition existing staff and patient arrangements.
Mr Mawson’s concern is what could happen over time.
He fears nurses working within a broader cancer program could eventually be required to support other cancers, reducing the focus on men with prostate cancer.
He said specialist nurses were particularly important because patients often had questions after speaking with their doctor or undergoing treatment.
“Most people when they hear the word ‘cancer’ they automatically cut off from everything else so the PCSN is a great person to ask those questions that you didn’t ask the specialist and to explain how your journey will progress,” he said.
The Government said the move towards a nationally consistent cancer nursing model was announced three years ago and PCFA’s current agreement was always scheduled to end in June 2027.
PCFA has questioned why the decision was made before an independent evaluation of cancer nursing and navigation services is completed.
The Government said that evaluation was not intended to determine whether PCFA’s time-limited agreement would be renewed.
With the change due to take effect next July, both sides agree specialist prostate cancer nursing should continue.
The disagreement is over whether changing who runs the Commonwealth-funded program will preserve the service men currently receive.
