Tell us about your role, your team, and the centre’s current activity
I have been the Centre Leader at Albury for a month. Before that I was a radiation therapist at GenesisCare Albury for 10 years, and at GenesisCare Wodonga for 11 years prior to that.
As Centre Leader, I am responsible for managing and supporting all our staff. Our team comprises 21 radiation therapists, six dedicated radiation nurses, and a team of six patient service officers plus some casual staff. We also have three radiation oncologists and one registrar. In addition, we work closely with a dietitian and a speech pathologist, who are provided through Albury Wodonga Health and its Cancer Services.
A couple of weeks ago, we reached our highest-ever daily patient volume, treating 130 patients in a single day. Our typical daily caseload is between 100 and 110 patients, so it was an exceptionally busy week.
What happens during a patient’s first radiotherapy visit, from arrival to leaving?
A patient’s journey begins when they are referred for radiotherapy and meet one of our specialists. If treatment goes ahead, we book a planning scan on our own dedicated CT scanner. Radiotherapy must be precise within a millimetre, so we position each patient carefully, sometimes using a custom mask or supports, in order to place them in the exact same position for every treatment.
Our team then uses the imaging to map the area to be treated in order to protect the surrounding healthy tissue. The doctor approves this, and our planning team designs the treatment, which is checked several times for accuracy and safety. This usually takes about a week, with urgent patients being treated the same day.
On the day of treatment, a radiation therapist welcomes the patient, explains each step and settles them into position. We take a quick scan to confirm everything lines up precisely, and then the treatment begins. Patients feel nothing and only hear a gentle buzzing as the machine moves around them. Most are with us for about 15 minutes, and then they are free to go home.
What has changed most in radiotherapy over the last ten years, in technology or technique?
Two developments stand out. The first is greater precision. Radiotherapy is mostly now delivered as a smooth, continuous arc around the patient, and we use these advanced treatments about 40% more than when we began. We also now scan every patient before every treatment, rather than once a week, so we can position them accurately to within a millimetre.
The second is stereotactic radiotherapy, which delivers a very high dose of radiation in just one to five treatments. In 2016, we treated six patients this way. Last year, we treated 137, all of whom were able to receive this specialised care close to home rather than travelling to the city.
What difference does it make for patients to be treated near their support networks?
Receiving care close to home means patients can stay in their own homes, surrounded by the people who matter most to them. Family and friends are able to help with getting to and from treatment, and the comfort of familiar surroundings can make an enormous difference during what may be one of the most challenging times of a person’s life. Through the partnership between AWRCC and GenesisCare, our community has access to advanced, specialist radiotherapy right here in the region, so patients no longer need to travel to a major city to receive the care they need. The value of that support is immeasurable.
What would you say to someone who feels nervous or frightened about beginning treatment?
It is entirely natural to feel apprehensive, as anything unfamiliar can be intimidating until you have experienced it. A common concern is that patients will become radioactive, but this is not the case. Radiotherapy is similar to a very high-powered X-ray, and once the beam is switched off, the radiation is gone. This means patients can safely spend time with their loved ones, including grandchildren, and we encourage everyone to live as normal a life as possible throughout treatment.
Our team works hard to make the experience as comfortable as possible. Patients can choose their own music, and we can dim the lights or use fairy lights to create a calm, soothing atmosphere. We also enjoy a laugh and often hold dress-up days that patients are welcome to join, bringing a little lightness to what can be a very difficult time.
What does a coordinated patient journey look like between radiation and other treatments?
Behind the scenes, our Nurse Unit Manager works closely with the day oncology unit, the hospital ward and the private services to understand which patients are receiving chemotherapy alongside, or in sequence with, their radiotherapy. This allows us to coordinate each patient’s care smoothly.
For patients having chemotherapy at the same time, this means attending their chemotherapy appointment in the morning and coming straight to radiotherapy once it finishes, before heading home. For hospital inpatients, we receive a handover from the ward each morning and confirm the patient is clinically stable. Pre-medications are given before they arrive, so they are comfortable, spend as little time as possible on the treatment bed and can return to their ward promptly.
The result is a well-sequenced journey in which every appointment is timed so that patients can focus on their recovery.
How does your team collaborate with Albury Wodonga Health, the medical oncologists and the Wellness Centre to support patients throughout their care?
Close collaboration between these teams makes a real difference to the patient experience. People facing cancer are dealing with an extremely stressful time, and few have been through it before, so they rely on us to work together and keep their journey as smooth as possible. When care is well coordinated, patients are far less likely to miss appointments or feel uncertain about what is happening next.
A key part of this is our partnership with the Wellness Centre, where we refer patients for guidance and practical support, including help with financial challenges and everyday needs. We also refer patients to clinical psychology through the Wellness Centre, which provides valuable emotional support during treatment. Demand for this service is high, and additional resources would allow even more patients to benefit from it.
We are also grateful for the support of the Sunshine Trust, which has helped us get important equipment for the department. We perform IV contrast here to deliver head and neck treatment more accurately, and the Trust enabled us to acquire a specialised chair that keeps patients comfortable and safe during that procedure. They have also funded a blanket warmer, a welcome comfort given how cool our treatment bunkers can be, along with other ancillary equipment that enhances the patient experience.
Together, these partnerships ensure patients are supported not only medically, but emotionally and practically as well.
What stands out most when you reflect on your ten years working alongside the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre?
It is difficult to single out one moment, but when I reflect on what we have achieved, what stands out most is a deep sense of pride in what we have delivered for our community. We have treated many patients, providing evidence-based care of a very high standard close to home. As representatives of GenesisCare, working in collaboration with Albury Wodonga Health to improve cancer outcomes for the wider region, we feel that is something truly special.
The feedback we receive is consistently outstanding. Patients regularly describe the care as exceptional, and they often tell us that our team goes above and beyond. I think part of this comes down to the culture we have curated. In fact, we have multiple members in the team who have worked here for ten or more years, with some even surpassing 20 years. This has helped facilitate our stable and high quality of care for our region.
Knowing that patients trust us before they even walk through the door is one of the most rewarding aspects of our work. Word travels within the community, too. Many of our prostate patients, for example, tell us they felt at ease about starting treatment because someone from their local Men’s Shed had been through it and spoke highly of the care they received.