Strathfieldsaye resident Peter Briscoe can receive his cancer treatment in the comfort of his own home thanks to a new Bendigo Health program.
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After being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020, Mr Briscoe would visit the hospital for appointments twice a week, which would add hours of travel away from his home.
But now the Better at Home initiative has changed all of that.
"Since my wife had a stroke a few years ago, I've become her full-time carer," he said.
"Having to go into hospital for treatment meant I wasn't able to be there for her and it made things very difficult.
"But now having oncology treatment at home is fantastic because it means the difference between having to be away for half a day to being home with my wife all the time."
Bendigo Health chair Bob Cameron said Better at Home ensured patients would receive quality care with staff travelling to people's homes to complete the treatments.
"Now we can offer home-delivered hospital care in a variety of areas such as oncology as well as early intervention for mild strokes, and geriatric rehabilitation," he said.
"Hospitals are great places when you need them, but really they're good places to avoid. They can be very stressful and you're around infection and the like.
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"This initiative really gives us the opportunity to have another form of treatment, not just the old fashioned way we're used to."
The program was able to get up and running with help from state government funding of $120.9 million over three years to health care services across the state.
"This initiative helps ensure better outcomes for regional Victorian patients," Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards said.
"We know our hospitals do an amazing job supporting people and Bendigo Health now has a beautiful new oncology ward with amazing staff, but it's really important to help alleviate other stresses in their life."
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