Julie Crawshay on Telehealth for Regional NSW Brain Cancer Families
For families living outside the city, a brain cancer diagnosis often means long drives to Sydney for appointments, on top of everything else they are already carrying. Telehealth has changed that in real and welcome ways over recent years. I am Julie Crawshay, and having supported carers across regional NSW, I have seen how a single video consult can save a family an exhausting day on the road and a night in unfamiliar accommodation.
What telehealth can and cannot do
Telehealth is well suited to many follow-up conversations: reviewing scan results, adjusting supportive medications, checking in on symptoms and side effects, and connecting with allied health such as psychology, dietetics or speech therapy. Many of these consults attract Medicare rebates, though the rules on eligibility and bulk billing vary between clinics, so it is worth confirming the cost before you book rather than being surprised afterwards.
Of course, some things still need to happen in person, including scans, procedures and certain physical examinations. Telehealth works best as part of a mix rather than a full replacement for face-to-face care. A few practical tips I share with regional families before their first video appointment:
- Write your questions down beforehand, because video time can feel rushed and slip away.
- Have a carer on the call to take notes and remember the details you will forget.
- Check your internet, camera and sound early, and always ask about a phone option as backup.
- Request a written summary or care plan afterwards so nothing important is lost.
Making distance feel smaller
Beyond clinical appointments, telehealth and online groups help regional carers feel less isolated. Support services, counselling and peer groups run by Australian organisations increasingly meet online, so you can join from a farmhouse near Dubbo or a coastal town far from the city without leaving home. When I could not physically be in the room, a screen still let me be present for the people who needed me.
If travel is unavoidable, ask your treating team about the NSW patient travel assistance scheme, which can help with the cost of getting to Sydney for specialist care. Local community health services and Cancer Council can also point you toward accommodation and transport support you may not know exists.
Telehealth is a tool, not a lesser version of care. Used well, it keeps regional Australian families connected to the specialists they need. Please confirm what suits your circumstances with your treating team and the relevant service, because arrangements and rebates change. Julie Crawshay believes no family in Australia should feel cut off from good care simply because of a postcode, and telehealth has quietly become one of the most practical ways of closing that gap for people right across regional NSW.
— Julie Crawshay, Sydney, Australia