The first Australian health care service focussed specifically on the health of men was officially opened in North Melbourne today.
The Australian Centre for Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health will cater to male patients experiencing conditions such as prostate cancer, infertility, sexual dysfunction, depression and addiction.
The Minister for Health, Peter Dutton, said the centre was a positive step forward for Australian men, whose health outcomes lagged significantly behind those of Australian women.
“Australian men have a lower life expectancy than women and have different health conditions and risk factors throughout their lives,” Mr Dutton said.
“It is totally appropriate on the one hand to have health centres focussing on women’s health and diseases, like breast cancer, and on the other hand to have a centre like this focussing on men and their particular problems.”
Mr Dutton said the new centre’s emphasis on prostate cancer was particularly welcome given the high incidence of prostate cancer in Australia. In 2010, 19,821 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed, representing 30 per cent of all new cases of cancer in Australian males.
“Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, apart from common non-melanoma skin cancers, and has a big impact on our community,” Mr Dutton said.
“The Government recognises this and we are committed to tackling this deadly disease.
“The Australian Centre for Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health will create a blueprint of best practice in health provision for men, which could be followed around the nation.
“As a side effect, I hope that this centre prompts more men to think about their health more seriously and seek medical help as soon as they encounter a problem.”
The centre is open to the general public, providing Medicare-eligible comprehensive and integrated health services for males. As well as GPs, it offers specialised services in
- urology
- radiation oncology
- medical oncology
- specialist nursing
- psychology
- physiotherapy and an on-site gymnasium
- nutrition.
To support men with prostate cancer, the Australian Government is funding the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia with $6.2 million over four years for 14 prostate cancer nurses around Australia.
The Government also funds prostate cancer research, including $18.5 million over four years for three dedicated Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centres and around $8.8 million for prostate cancer research from 2014 to 2016 through the National Health and Medical Research Council.
For more information, please contact the Minister’s Office on 02 6277 7220
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