12 May 2025
Alarming new data has revealed a critical patient care gap for Australian men with prostate cancer, with only one specialist nurse for every 239 newly diagnosed patients nationwide.
The figures, released ahead of International Nurses Day on May 12, have prompted Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia to double down on calls for more specialist nurses, especially in regional and rural areas, where men face a 24 per cent higher risk of death.
More than 26,000 Australian men are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, making it Australia’s most commonly diagnosed cancer.
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia CEO, Anne Savage, said Australia’s nursing workforce would continue to face high burnout rates without a significant boost in investment for specialist nursing positions.
“There are nearly 176,000 Australian men alive today after a diagnosis of prostate cancer in the past 10 years, and many of these men continue on complex treatments that require specialist nursing care,” she said.
“The Australian Government’s own report into building the evidence base for a national nursing workforce strategy admits that the value of nurses is not fully recognised, and that the important work nurses undertake is not always fairly valued.
“This is particularly true for Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses, who undergo extensive training and professional education to support men impacted by prostate cancer.”
PCFA Director of Nursing, Adjunct Professor Sally Sara, said around 90 per cent of the consultations provided by PCFA nurses are for pre-existing patients.
“There is no other program like ours in the world – a program that offers expert clinical and psycho-oncological support provided by nurses who are expertly trained in screening for and managing the impacts of prostate cancer in men, with an understanding of the masculine behaviours and traits that are so often a barrier to accessing support,” Adjunct Professor Sara said.
“PCFA nurses play a critical role in ensuring that men do not suffer their disease in silence, ravaged by the physical and mental health impacts of their disease and its treatment.
“In 2024, our nurses provided 146,000 consultations nationally, delivering a social return on investment of $1.62 for every dollar invested in the program.
“But with increasing numbers of men in our community being diagnosed each year, we must do more to build strong foundations for Australia’s nursing future, creating a health care system that can cope with the threat of prostate cancer as Australia’s most common cancer.”
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia has called for $7.7 million in funding over the next three years for 21 new nurses to meet an urgent shortfall in numbers.
For more information about prostate cancer, visit www.prostate.org.au or phone 1800 22 00 99 to speak with a Specialist Nurse.
