Better integration of primary and tertiary health care services is needed to improve the care of cancer patients, writes Annie May.

Chemotherapy outpatients have significant unmet needs following treatment, indicating an urgent need for improved continuity of care, says new Australian-first research. This year alone, the Cancer Council Australia estimates that 115,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia. Figures also estimate that 50 per cent of cancer patients receive chemotherapy at some stage in their cancer illness. Alongside the rising number of cancer cases, there is an increasing trend towards outpatient chemotherapy treatments. However, there are many missed opportunities to improve care for these...