Cancer care and your rights

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, it can be helpful to understand your rights and responsibilities when accessing health care in Australia.

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Key questions about your health care rights

Knowing your rights helps you better understand your care. Learn what health care rights are and how they are protected.

Navigating the health care system

Health care systems can be complicated, especially when you're managing the physical, emotional and financial effects of cancer.

Making treatment decisions

Whether you have just been diagnosed with cancer or have cancer that has spread or come back, you will have to make a number of decisions about your treatment.

Protecting your health information

Health professionals gather information about you and your treatment. While receiving care, you have the right to privacy and confidentiality.

Health care feedback and complaints

You have the right to give feedback or make a complaint about your health care, and to receive a prompt response.

Workplace and financial concerns

Learn about workplace and financial issues that may be relevant to people with cancer.

Rights of carers

Knowing your rights as a carer can help you deal with the treatment team, and make medical and financial decisions.

Learn more

Support and information

These websites are good sources of support and information.

Questions for your doctorThis checklist may be helpful when thinking about the questions you want to ask.

Do you specialise in treating this type of cancer? If not, could you recommend someone who does?
Do you work in a multidisciplinary team? Who else is in the team?
I’m thinking of getting a second opinion. Can you recommend anyone?
What are my treatment options? What is the aim of each treatment?
Are there other treatments that you aren’t recommending? Why?
Are there any out-of-pocket costs not covered by Medicare or my private health cover?
Who can I talk to if I have concerns about my care?

More legal and financial resources(click to expand)

Podcast: Coping with a Cancer Diagnosis

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Need to talk?

Call 13 11 20 to talk to a health professional Or email us your questions.

This information was last updated in May 2023. See who reviewed this content.

Prof Sarah Lewis, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW; Kevin Bloom, Senior Social Worker, Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW; Danielle Curnoe, Consumer; Alana Fitzgibbon, Clinical Nurse Consultant – Gastro-Intestinal Cancers, Cancer Services, Royal Hobart Hospital, TAS; Hall & Wilcox (law firm); Johanna Jordaan, Consumer; Dr Deme Karikios, Medical Oncologist, Nepean Cancer and Wellness Centre, Nepean Hospital, NSW; Melissa Lawrie, Breast Cancer Clinical Nurse, Cancer Services, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, QLD; Jacqueline Lesage, Consumer Reviewer, Cancer Voices NSW; McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, VIC; Louise Pellerade, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Andrew Potter, Consumer; Siân Slade, PhD Candidate, Nossal Institute for Global Health and Non-Executive Director (health, disability sectors), VIC; Paula Watt, Clinical Psychologist, WOMEN Centre, WA.

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