A new initiative by the State Government sees a substantial investment of $3 million directed towards significantly alleviating the financial burden on laryngectomy patients in South Australia. For the first time in the state, patients who have undergone the surgical removal of their larynx due to cancer or physical trauma will gain free access to essential medical devices.
This development is set to provide relief to around 150 South Australians living with a laryngectomy, with around 24 such procedures performed annually across the state. The Laryngectomy Consumables Scheme is expected to kick off in the middle of the year and will cover the costs for devices like Heat Moisture Exchangers (HMEs), voice prosthesis, and electronic voice aids, which are vital for patients post-surgery.
One significant benefit of the scheme is the financial relief it offers to patients, including those with private health insurance, by covering any out-of-pocket expenses related to these consumables. HMEs, which are integral to the daily management of a laryngectomy, help filter, warm, and humidify the air, which works at reducing infections, improving communication, extending life expectancies, and maintaining quality of life. These devices need frequent replacement, up to twice a day, and can cost patients between $6,000 and $10,000 each year.
The devices provided under the Laryngectomy Consumables Scheme will be sourced and administered by speech pathology units and private speech pathologists to ensure that the needs of the patients are adequately met following their surgeries.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by the Malinauskas government to enhance cancer care in South Australia. Following the introduction of the five-year South Australian Cancer Plan in April 2025, additional advancements include a partnership with the McGrath Foundation, which introduced 10 McGrath Cancer Care Nurses to support the state’s cancer patients. The recent development of a new CAR T-Cell therapy service at local hospitals will improve treatment outcomes for patients with specific relapsed blood cancers.
Significant enhancements to South Australia’s cancer treatment infrastructure are also underway, significantly marked by a $77 million Federal funding package aimed at establishing the South Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network (SACCaN). This network will tackle various cancer care priorities, including equity in access to care and early detection measures. One of the immediate benefits of this funding is the installation of a new PET-CT scanner at the Flinders Medical Centre, which represents a crucial step in improving diagnostic services available publicly outside of the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Acting Minister for Health and Wellbeing Blair Boyer shared, “The Malinauskas Government is taking action when it comes to delivering better outcomes for cancer and trauma patients, including people who’ve had life-saving but life-changing procedures like laryngectomies.
“Laryngectomy patients face huge challenges when it comes to sustaining comfortable and fulfilling lives, so we want to help take some of the pressure off. This new scheme will save laryngectomy patients thousands of dollars each year and improve access to crucial devices that help get them through each day.”
Laryngectomy patient Anthony (Tony) Charlesworth added, “Having access to HMEs will allow me to have a lot more freedom to do the things I want to do. I’ll be able to breathe more easily and quietly, meaning my wife and I can go to places like the cinema and quiet restaurants where we haven’t been able to go for a number of years.”
