Our Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit is a service for Canberra Region Cancer Centre patients who have urgent care needs related to their cancer diagnosis or treatment, as an alternative to attending the emergency department.

About this service

Our Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit is staffed by specialist doctors and nurses who will be able to assess you, order any necessary tests and start the most appropriate treatment for your problem. This may include:

• treatment within the unit
• giving you a prescription for medicine to take home, or
• recommending you be admitted to hospital, which our staff will arrange.

Who we care for

We care for people with a cancer diagnosis and who need urgent care, who are:

• about to start chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• within three months of completing chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• under care of the palliative care team at Canberra Region Cancer Centre.

You should call us if you have a medical concern related to your cancer or treatment. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Fever/feeling unwell
• Nausea/vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Sudden loss of sensation
• New pain or pain not responding to medication
• Not able to eat or drink
• New rashes or lesions
• Infection
• Shortness of breath
• Constipation
• Mouth pain/difficulty swallowing
• Fatigue
• Bleeding
• Confusion
• New incontinence
• Problems with your central line such as bleeding, redness or discharge
• New severe bruising.

You should not call us for non-urgent issues or existing medical issues not related to your cancer or its treatment.

Our phone line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit is open 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. It is not open outside these hours, including weekends and public holidays.

How to access this service

The Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit is not a drop-in service.

If you have a cancer symptom or a cancer treatment side effect that you need advice about, please call our 24/7 triage line on (02) 5124 4401.

Before you call, please have the name, date of birth and mobile number associated with the patient ready, so the nurses can access their Digital Health Record.

During normal working hours, your call will be answered by the Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit nursing team, who will ask you questions (nursing assessment) and then provide you with advice that may include:

• managing your symptoms or side effects at home
• seeing your GP
• going to an Emergency Department (ED) or
• coming into the Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit.

If you call the triage number outside our normal business hours (before 8am, after 5pm or during weekends and/or public holidays), the community nurses will answer your call and do an assessment.

Their advice may also be to manage symptoms and side effects at home, go to ED, see your GP or call the triage number again after 8am (if a normal working day).

If you call the triage number and cannot wait for a return call, please call 000.

Please note: The physical Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit is not a 24-hour clinic and is closed on weekends and public holidays.

What to expect

When you call us, the nurse will ask you some questions and suggest ways to manage your problem. These may include:

• advice on how to manage your problem at home
• coming to see us for treatment
• going to the emergency department.

In some cases, your doctor or nurse may also refer you to the Cancer Rapid Assessment Unit.

We have more information about what to expect before, during and after cancer treatment.

What to bring to your appointment

• Medicare card/DVA card/Defence Personnel Number (if applicable)
• The information about your current cancer treatment that you received from the nurse during your pre-treatment information and education session.
• Medicines you need to take while you are here
• List of medicines you are currently taking (or the boxes), including medicines you have bought without a prescription, such as herbal supplements and vitamins
• Recent x-ray films, scans, ultrasounds or any other test results or reports

Where we’re located

The Rapid Assessment Unit is located within Radiation Oncology on Level 1 (ground level) in Building 20, Canberra Region Cancer Centre. Please come to Radiation Oncology Reception.

We have directions to the Canberra Region Cancer Centre and Canberra Hospital.