A new Cancer Care Centre under construction at Mount Gambier Hospital has been inspected by the region’s radiotherapy working group, chaired by Naracoorte’s Lachlan Haynes.
While the new centre lacks radiotherapy, the working group hopes it will be installed in the future.
Mr Haynes said the centre was currently under construction, and the tour was “kindly organised by the Limestone Coast Health Network (LCHN) CEO Emma Poland and director governance and planning Angela Miller”.
Although the area was still many weeks from completion, and lacked radiotherapy, Mr Haynes was pleased that improved cancer care would soon be available for South Easterners.
“(The centre) looks to have a number of features making the treatment of cancers and pre and post care improved,” he said.
“(It will) make the experience for the sufferers and their carers greatly improved.
“The radiotherapy working group was appreciative of the opportunity to see firsthand the new purpose-built facility and always supports the improvement of cancer treatments in the Limestone Coast. Indeed, many members have received cancer treatments, or are carers in other respective local cancer support groups, and welcome the new facility as positive for the region.
“Whilst disappointed in the allocation of funds from its original purpose of radiation treatment in the Limestone Coast, the working group remains positive that the build is being made to incorporate future provision for radiation treatment.
“On the tour and in previous meetings, the LCLHN again made clear this cancer centre build was also consistent with the flexibility of the recent regional health care plan, and Destravis’s recent consultations; that the plans can still accommodate (a) future decision to proceed with radiation treatment being available.”
Mr Haynes said the LCLHN pledged to keep consulting with the working group as the build completes and the centre opens, “providing a strong link and line of communication with the group as they continue advocating”.
“The radiotherapy working group remains committed to having radiation treatment for the region,” he said.
Grateful to the LCLHN for the tour, Mr Haynes said he hoped the centre would soon see the incorporation onsite, or work with a nearby provider, for radiation treatment.
He believed not everyone understood the difficulties of having radiotherapy interstate or in Adelaide.
But 20,000 people who signed a petition run by the Limestone Coast Radiation Therapy Working Group did understand.
He explained it often meant lost pay while away from work, as well as extra costs associated with finding someone to look after their home, pets, business or farm.
Additionally, there were extra stresses of finding, then paying for accommodation, and meals while sick and away for such a long time.
Mr Haynes believed a cancer diagnosis was traumatic and stressful enough without having the extra burden and costs associated with relocation.
Meanwhile, the Naracoorte Hospital has three to four chemotherapy chairs available under the state government’s $250,000 clinical services plan which has been endorsed by the LCLHN.
The LCLHN previously rejected radiotherapy following its decision to support a cancer care suite and extra car parking.
That decision was later supported by its feasibility study.
Last year, federal member for Barker Tony Pasin highlighted the Radiation Oncology Access Coalition (ROAC) found the feasibility study was “flawed”.
He said the broad membership and expertise of ROAC made it a trusted source to inform government policy to see better health outcomes for Australians.
In 2019, Mr Pasin secured $4.3m of federal funding, specifically for radiotherapy.
This article appeared in The Naracoorte News, 15 October 2025.
