Which health professionals can I see?

You’ll meet lots of different health professionals on your cancer journey. Here are the ones you’re most likely to meet, and what they do.
 

Who they areWhat they do
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health practitioner
  • understands culture and mob
  • culturally safe clinical care services
  • health assessments
  • health education
  • help doctors better understand 
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker
  • understands culture and mob
  • support and answers questions
  • can act as communicator for both the medical team and our mob
  • provide cultural education to the health team
  • have input into planning and working closely with our mob for the best possible holistic outcomes
Aboriginal Liaison Officer
  • understands culture and beliefs
  • can offer support, and talk with other members of your treatment team
  • provide emotional, social and cultural help for our patients and families
  • help you yarn with health professionals
  • help you understand about the medical procedures and other things that may be happening to you
  • help you with the admission and going home process
General practitioner (GP) 
  • your local doctor who provides ongoing care
  • will be able to help other doctors understand your medical history.
Dietitian
  • provides advice on healthy eating to manage medical conditions and improve your overall health.
Exercise physiologist
  • provides advice on exercises and plans to improve and maintain your fitness and physical health.
Nurse
  • assesses and treats common conditions and can coordinate your healthcare.
Occupational therapist
  • helps adapt your home or work to help you get back to what you used to do
  • help you with independence which is so important for our mobs.
Medical Oncologist
  • doctor who treats people with cancer with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies. 
  • form part of your team and will support you with dealing with other health professionals.
  • help you make decisions about your treatment and ongoing care
Oncology nurse
  • nurse who specialises in caring for people with cancer
  • will care for you during and after your treatment, and may help to deliver some treatments
  • help with looking at you as a whole and not just looking at the cancer.
Palliative care specialist
  • doctor who specialises in managing symptoms of advanced cancer such as pain
  • can make sure your physical, practical, emotional and spiritual needs are met
  • help you make decisions about your treatment and ongoing care.
Pharmacist
  • provides health information
  • sells and advises on medications.
Physiotherapist
  • helps you with physical problems after cancer treatment, such as improving your walking or your strength.
Psychologist
  • help your emotional and mental health needs by providing you counselling and specific therapies.
Radiation oncologist
  • doctor who specialises in radiotherapy.
Radiologist
  • doctor who looks at scans and x-rays to diagnose and stage the disease
  • Can take out a small part of the tumour using a needle for a biopsy 
Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) worker
  • Social and emotional wellbeing is important for our health outcomes – it covers all health, connection to land, Country, culture, spirituality, family and community.
  • helps people with issues that impact everyday living and families.
Social worker
  • links people with cancer and their carers to support services and helps with emotional, practical or financial issues.
Specialist
  • doctor who has done many years of training to focus on one area of health
  • these fellas are highly skilled in that area of medicine.
Surgeon 
  • removes all of the tumour, or as much of the tumour as possible, or part of the tumour in a procedure called a biopsy
  • investigates the size of the tumour and if the cancer has spread. This process is called staging and is often used to guide treatment decisions.

 

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