Location

The Day Cancer Care (DCC) unit is located on level 2 West Building – Day Cancer Specialist Clinic Reception E, please take the green lifts and turn right.

Opening hours are Monday – Friday 8am–6:30pm and Saturday 8am–4:30pm.

An appointment is required and should be made in consultation with your child's doctor and/or nurse coordinator.

About us

The DCC unit comprises of 12 treatment chairs, 3 treatment rooms and 3 isolation rooms. Your child may attend the DCC unit for the following reasons: 

• Chemotherapy administration 
• Central line dressings and central line blood tests
• Blood transfusions
• Drug infusions
• Nitrous sedation
• Nasogastric tube insertion
• Home hydration
  
• Intravenous fluids
• Lumbar puncture
• Hickman line removal and repair

Pathology

• Day Cancer Specialist Clinic Reception E now has a pathology collection service to take your child's bloods prior to their doctor's appointment 
• The pathology collector is available Monday-Friday 8:30–11:30am
• You will be required to notify the specialist clinics reception staff upon checking in for your child's doctor and/or DCC appointment if they require the pathology service
• If your child requires pathology collection after 11:30am you will be required to attend the pathology collection service on the ground floor specialist clinic A6
• If your child has a central line (excluding a port) please discuss with the DCC nurses the best way to proceed with blood collection

What to expect when receiving chemotherapy in the DCC unit

1. When you arrive to the Day Cancer Specialist Clinic Reception E desk it is important you check in to both your child's doctor's appointment and DCC appointment with the reception staff. Please note that both appointments have a time allocated and there is a minimum of 1 hour between appointment times - you will not be seen until your allocated time. This is to allow enough time for the chemotherapy to be made and checked by pharmacy and DCC nursing staff (there is the option to have your child's doctor's appointment the day prior to treatment in the DCC unit which will significantly decrease wait times. If this is something you are interested in, please discuss this with your doctor and the DCC nurses).
   
   
2. You and your child will then attend the doctor's appointment and if your child is ready to commence chemotherapy treatment the doctor will sign off the chemotherapy treatment plan on the electronic medical record (if the blood results are not back when you see the doctor they may have to wait for these results before they sign off the chemotherapy – please note this may cause a delay). It is important to request a pathology slip from the Dr for your child's next appointment.
   
   
3. Once the chemotherapy is signed off by the doctor the pharmacy department are automatically notified and begin to make the medication. Some chemotherapy is pre-made however most chemotherapy is required to be made on the day once the doctor signs off the treatment plan. The time in which this takes can vary depending on the type of chemotherapy and the demand of pharmacy on the day.
   
   
4. Whilst waiting for the chemotherapy to be made, if your child has a port it is important to check in to the DCC nurses who will apply numbing cream if required (this takes 40-60 minutes to take affect). You will then be asked to wait in the waiting room.
   
   
5. Once the chemotherapy has been made and pharmacy have completed their checks the DCC nurses are notified and also perform their checks. You will then be called into the DCC unit once a treatment room/chair becomes available. Depending on your child's type of central venous access device will depend on the procedure required to administer the chemotherapy e.g. if your child has a port we will be required to access their port first (please notify nursing staff if your child requires comfort first services or uses sedation).
   
   
6. Each chemotherapy administration time will vary – please discuss this with your doctor and/or the DCC nurses who will be able to provide you with an estimated time of duration. 

Oncology fast track clinic

The oncology fast track (OFT) clinic is designed to support children and their families during a child’s cancer treatment at The Royal Children’s Hospital (while receiving chemotherapy and up to 12 months after a stem cell transplant). 

If your child displays side effects from treatment and you are concerned, you can call the OFT nurse to get advice or support about how to manage your child at home or discuss whether they may need to come into hospital (it is essential to call prior to presenting to the clinic).

Telephone: 03 9345 4545 (select option 1)

*Please note due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic if your child has any respiratory symptoms please notify the OFTC nurse upon calling

The OFT clinic operates during the following hours: 
Monday–Friday: 8am–6:30pm 

Outside of these hours it is recommended to call the Kookaburra ward for advice or present straight to the RCH Emergency Department or to your local emergency department.

For further information: Oncology Fast Track Clinic Kids Health Information Fact Sheet

Contact us

Telephone: 03 9345 4545

After dialing, please select the option that best suits your needs, and your call will be directed to the appropriate area:

Option 1: Oncology Fast Track (urgent medical related enquiry) 
Option 2: Oncology specialist clinic appointments 
Option 3: Day Cancer treatment appointments 
Option 4: Nurse coordinator assistance 
Option 5: Kookaburra Ward 
Option 6: Oncology Pharmacy (pharmacy related enquiries)