Sunshine Coast - Australia

[SwedishSissi]

Anyone on the Sunshine Coast, Australia that would like to meet up for a drink and a chat about the care in Australia. I am considering relocating from Sweden, but would like to understand how thinks work. I will arrive on the 7th November and stay for a few weeks.

[TammyCross]

That is a really important question to ask. The meds that can be accessed and the protocols certainly differ across countries. Access to doctors also varies, especially to specialists. Is there a good hospital with oncologists, and specifically breast oncologists? That is very important. People have told stories here of inappropriate treatment when they are seeing a general oncologist, perhaps the only one at a small hospital.

I don't recall many people here living in Australia, though. I hope someone pops up. If not, maybe you should try one of the mbc Facebook groups. People on here belong to some of those groups; I hope they will follow through with you with specific recommendations. I just discovered Metavivor.

[Kerryd22]

Sissi

We have a universal health system but as a visitor you wouldn’t be able to access free treatment. Or subsidised treatment. You’d need to have private insurance plus enough money to pay the copayments. And that’s thousands of dollars potentially.

You can’t access specialist care from an oncologist or an oncology clinic without a referral from a general practitioner. And invitations to a clinic come from the clinic after they read the referral and review your case. Miss one appointment and your name can be off the list. A GP can’t automatically write a prescription for a cancer drug unless they have authority from a specialist.

I’m in Queensland but not the Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast hospital is a very good public hospital. I’m not sure about the private hospitals in the area but I have friends who live closer and I could ask them.

If you get stuck and there’s no one closer who offers I can probably organise a meet up to explain it a bit more. My friend had breast cancer and she had private treatment so she has some knowledge about how it works and what it costs.

If you have residency and the correct visa, the universal healthcare system is available but generally people who already have a chronic health condition don’t qualify for that kind of visa.

All the best

Kerry

[SwedishSissi in reply to Kerryd22]

Hi Kerry,

Thank you very much. I do have the correct visa for Permanent residency (I probably wouldn't have qualified today, but I got it 13 years ago). I sent my Medicare activation request last week. I used to live here and I am fed up with Swedish cold and dark winters. Thank you for mentioning Sunshine coast hospital. I will need a blood transfusion soon. Will try there. I did find an Oncologist earlier this year (but wrong speciality) who said he would refer me next time I was back, which is now. Let's see how it goes. I have drugs with me. It would be nice to meet up with someone as it is a big decision, but I understand if you are far away. We will be in Craiglie later if that is better,

[Kerryd22]

I’m on the south side of Brisbane so Craiglie isn’t much closer. But you seem to have everything in place that you need so it’s just a matter of getting a referral to the clinic. You might be able to do that through the emergency department but it would be easy enough to do via a GP if you have letters from your Swedish doctor.

I don’t recall what stage your cancer is but if it’s stage four then you’re automatically placed on palliative care although that can still be quite aggressive treatment.

I can’t go north this month but I can probably organise something for December.

[SwedishSissi]

Thanks for your responses. We might go down to Sydney in December. If I have enough energy. If we drive, will let you know.

I am on palliative care in Sweden. Right now only Fulvestrant and Blood transfusions.

They will not tell me how long I have, so making the most of it (right now on a cruise ship from Singapore to Brisbane)

Cheers,

Sissi

[13plus]

I’ve been interested to know this too. Specifically, as an Aussie if I were to return, how much access there is through Medicare for the latest treatments . I’ve gone through iBrance, Lynparza, Afinitor, and Xeloda already, recently started on Enhertu

[SwedishSissi in reply to 13plus]

I will keep you updated. Just managed to book a blood test for tomorrow.

[ishaanseo in reply to SwedishSissi]

hello

[SwedishSissi in reply to ishaanseo]

Hiya!

[SwedishSissi in reply to 13plus]

Hiya, Make sure you keep your Medicare card active. Let's of hard work to get mine reactivated, but done now.

Been offered Breast Cancer oncologist appointment tomorrow (2 weeks after registering back in Oz). Let's see.