The Day Oncology Service is where patients attend to receive chemotherapy treatment. Patients have their treatment during the day and are not required to stay in the hospital overnight.
New Patients To Day Oncology
Once you and your Oncologist or Haematologist have decided to start chemotherapy, your doctor will write a referral to the Day Oncology Unit with the chemotherapy plan. A staff member from the Day Oncology Unit will phone you with a time for you to attend a
Pre-Chemotherapy Planning appointment.
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Where do I go?
The Day Oncology Unit is based at Sunshine Hospital in Ward 1E.
Speak to our Reception staff for information about free parking.
Getting to Sunshine Hospital.
Click
here for information about where
Sunshine Hospital is, transport and parking.
Another chemotherapy service is operated at
Sunbury Day Hospital every Wednesday and Friday. If Sunbury is a more conveneint location for you, please talk to the nurses in Day Oncology.
Click
here for information about where Sunbury Day Hospital is, transport and parking.
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Pre-chemotherapy planning and support
Before you start chemotherapy we strongly encourage you to attend a pre-chemotherapy planning and support appointment. At this appointment you will meet with a nurse who will:
Give you information about your chemotherapy treatment plan.
Give you your dates and times for your treatment appointments.
Provide information about possible side-effects.
Tell you who to contact if you are concerned.
This appointment will take approximately 1 hour.
We know from experience that patients who are well informed about their treatment plan will often feel much less anxious and more in control of the treatment process.
When you attend your pre-chemotherapy education sessoin, please feel free to bring a family member or support person. It is helpful to have someone else to listen and take notes. Interpreter services can be arranged if required.
You should bring these things along to this appointment:
A current list of medicines that includes:
Any recent test results that have been provided to you
Any questions that you have. It is a good idea to write these down before coming to your appointment.
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What do I bring to my chemotherapy appointment?
When you come for your chemotherapy treatments, you may wish to bring something such as:
An Ipad to watch a movie
Book to read
Light refreshments are provided but feel free to bring your own food too. Please feel free to bring a family member or friend with you for support. Please only bring one person, due to space limitations.
We recommend you wear something short sleeved or with loose fitting sleeves.
We suggest you dress in layers as it can be warm or cool in the unit. Wear comfortable clothes.
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Is there a cost?
There is no cost for treatment - only a cost for discharge medications.
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Symptoms and side-effects following chemotherapy treatment
Everyone's experience is different when they go through chemotherapy treatment but it is not uncommon to have one or more of the following side-effects:
Please note that you may experience these side-effects at any time during your treatment. For some patients, side effects occur following their first treatment whilst others may not experience symptoms until the very end. Some patients may not experience any side-effects at all.
If you are feeling unwell or uncomfortable in any way after your chemotherapy treatment and you are concerned or unsure about what to do, please call the
Symptom Urgent Review Clinic (SURC) on 0421 570 707 (8.30 am - 4.00 pm).
SURC is a specialist service located in the Day Oncology Unit dedicated to supporting patients at home who are suffering from side-effects after receiving chemotherapy treatment at Western Health. Patients (or their support person) can call and get advice or support from an experienced cancer nurse if they have any concerns or are feeling unwell. There is also an oncology doctor at hand.
When you call SURC, a nurse will answer the phone and might then:
Give advice over the phone about how to manage or improve your symptoms
Advise you to come into the SURC for review
Advise you to see your GP or attend the Emergency Department
The SURC Nurse will also:
Advise your Oncologist or Haematologist that you called
Call your GP if you have been advised to go there
Provide a follow up phone call if required.
If you have any non-urgent concerns you can visit your GP.
If you don't feel well or have a temperature of 38 and above and SURC is closed then go directly to the Emergency Department or dial 000 and inform them that you are receiving chemotherapy treatment.
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Oncology Hospital in The Home (HiTH)
Some chemotherapy treatments can be given in the home. Most chemotherapy agents that can be infused in 30 minutes or less can be considered for administration by HiTH. The benefits of being treated at home include your comfort, as well as saving you unnecessary travel to and from the hospital. If your treatment fits the criteria for Oncology in The Home administration, the nursing staff in Day Oncology will discuss this with you. If you feel you may be eligible and haven't been approached, please ask the nurse at your next hospital visit.
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Ongoing care in the day oncology unit
Each time you come for chemotherapy, please let reception know you have arrived, and show your appointment card. As soon as possible after arrival a nurse will greet you and take you into the treatment area.
The nurse will assess how you have tolerated your previous treatment and the side-effects you have experienced since the last cycle of treatment. If you have experienced significant side-effects please inform your nurse as a medical review may be required. It is not unusual for a medical review to occur at least once throughout your treatment plan.
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Attending oncologist/haematologist appointments during your chemotherapy treatment
It is very important that you attend appointments with your Oncologist or Haematologist between scheduled chemotherapy sessions.
Regular review by your Oncologist or Haematologist during chemotherapy aims to ensure:
The treatment plan is reviewed with you on a regular basis,
Any side-effects you experience are well controlled,
Any cancer symptoms your experience are well controlled.
The Oncologists and Haematologists work very closely with the Day Oncology Unit and will communicate any decisions or changes to your chemotherapy treatment plan. The nurses will follow up with you about your appointments with the Oncologist or Haematologist and if you have any questions please let them know.
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Blood tests
Most chemotherapy treatments require that you have a blood test before starting. It is important that you arrange to have the blood taken
1-2 days prior to your treatment day. It is preferred that patients use Dorevitch Pathology. At the end of each chemotherapy treatment the nurse will make sure you have the right pathology slip and your next treatment appointment is booked in.
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Can I choose my appointment times?
Patient appointment times are allocated between 8.30am - 4.30pm on Mondays and Fridays, and 8.30am - 6.00pm on Tuesdays to Thursdays (from 6/9/2021). We will try to accommodate requests for a particular time of the day as much as possible. Sometimes we are managing a large number of patients which may impact on our ability to schedule your appointment at the time you would prefer. We ask that you come to your allocated appointment time that we give you or contact us if you cannot make it.
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Contact
Phone: (03) 8395 9177
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More Information
Download this brochure for a printable copy of the information contained on this page.
