Department of Health

Cancer wellbeing and supportive care

Providing supportive care is vital to delivering quality cancer care. People with cancer have diverse supportive care needs across the care pathway. These needs could be:

  • physical
  • emotional
  • social
  • psychological
  • informational
  • spiritual
  • practical

Supportive care means the services, information and resources a person may need:

  • before and after a cancer diagnosis
  • during treatment
  • after treatment

Supportive care complements cancer treatment and is a key principle in the Optimal Care Pathways. All members of the multidisciplinary team have a role in providing supportive care along the care pathway. Special attention should be paid at transition points. The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer guides delivery of culturally appropriate supportive care.

Reviewed 19 January 2023

Health.vic

Contact us

Cancer Support, Treatment and Research Department of Health

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