On this page you will find information on:
- What is the Home to Treatment service
- Where is the service available
- Who is eligible to use the service
- How do service users access the service
- How do health professionals refer to the service
- Can a service user call to make their own booking
- If a service user lives outside the designated service area, can they still access the Home to Treatment Service
- Can a carer travel with the service user
- What days and hours does the service operate
- What if the service user needs to change or cancel a booking
- Does referral guarantee a booking
- What is the latest time a booking can be made
- Cost of service
What is the Home to Treatment service
Our Home to Treatment service aims to reduce the financial and emotional burden of cancer by providing transport to service users who are facing hardship in accessing their treatment. These hardships may include:
- Financial hardship
- Limited family and social support
- Inability to self-drive
- Inability to access public or community transport
The service transports eligible service users between their home and treatment facility within the designated service area.
Where is the service available
The service is currently available in the following locations
- Brisbane
- Cairns
- Rockhampton
- Townsville
For more information on the designated service areas please refer to the Home to Treatment Guidelines.
Who is eligible to use the service
To use the service, the service user must:
- Have a cancer diagnosis
- Be receiving active treatment, palliative care or attending a medical appointment related to their diagnosis
- Live within the designated service area
- Agree to adhere to Cancer Council Queensland’s policies and guidelines
- Be facing hardship in accessing treatment
- Be physically independent, able to mobilise and get into and out of a vehicle safely unassisted. Where a service user uses a mobility aid, this must be collapsible
- Be well enough to travel and not require medical supervision
- Require travel within service hours, depending on travel distances and times
How do service users access the service
To access the Home to Treatment service, all service users must be referred by a health professional in their treatment team.
Once referred to the service, the service users will receive a call from the Cancer Council 13 11 20 Information and Support Service to complete a support assessment and to discuss the service and their transport needs. At the time of the call, service users will be provided with the Home to Treatment Service telephone number in their area to make a booking.
How do health professionals refer to the service
To refer to the service, health professionals must:
- Assess the service user as eligible for the Home to Treatment service
- Determine that the service is suitable and will meet the service user’s needs
- Obtain the service users consent before referring to the service
- Go online at www.cancerqld.org.au and submit a Home to Treatment Referral Form
Can a service user call to make their own booking
Yes, once our 13 11 20 Information and Support Service team have completed a support assessment, the service user will be provided with the telephone number of their local Home to Treatment Service to make their own booking. These telephone numbers are:
- Brisbane – 3634 5217
- Cairns – 4047 5555
- Rockhampton – 4932 8666
- Townsville – 4796 8407
- All enquiries – 13 11 20
If a service user lives outside the designated service area, can they still access the Home to Treatment Service
Currently the Home to Treatment service is available in the designated service areas. Other requests outside these areas may be considered on a case by case basis and are subject to service capacity.
Can a carer travel with the service user
Yes, a carer may accompany a service user to support them in accessing their treatment, however this cannot be guaranteed.
What days and hours does the service operate
The service operates Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm. Bookings may be made between these hours based on distances and times needed for travel.
What if the service user needs to change or cancel a booking
A service user can call their local Home to Treatment Service phone number during business hours Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm to change or cancel an existing booking.
Voicemail is available for afterhours calls. Messages will be actioned within 1 business day. Afterhours calls will be returned during business hours.
Does referral guarantee a booking
Bookings are essential. Bookings are accepted on a first come first serve basis and cannot be guaranteed.
Service users are advised to have an alternative transport option in case the service is at capacity, there is a service disruption or an appointment is delayed.
Service capacity is subject to demand, volunteer and vehicle availability, and travel distance and times.
What is the latest time a booking can be made
Bookings can be made until 3pm the business day before travel is required as long as service capacity allows. However, bookings are subject to volunteer and vehicle availability.
Cost of service
There is no cost for service users to use the Home to Treatment Service