Inner & Eastern BSEP

Program Overview

The Inner & Eastern Consortium extended from inner city Melbourne to the far outer eastern suburbs. This large metropolitan consortium comprised 6 public hospitals, 1 private hospital and a number of private providers.

The key agencies involved in the Consortium included:

• Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute
• The Alfred
• Box Hill Hospital
• Maroondah Hospital
• The Angliss Health Service
• Yarra Ranges Health Service
• Cabrini Hospital

In consultation with the key stakeholders, a service plan was developed which reflected the needs of the consortium's agencies and local issues identified.

The key management team comprised of a full time Project Manager and Project Officer and a number of part time project staff working on specific projects. The steering committee comprised representatives from each of the consortium's agencies, a Breast Care Nurse (BCN) and a consumer. Bimonthly committee meetings allowed for discussion around current projects and planning of future activities.

A consultative process supported each of the projects undertaken with both the key stakeholders and consumers. The majority of the projects had a steering group attached to them which were an integral part of each projects' development. There was also a consumer reference group that met on a quarterly basis to represent the wider breast cancer population.

Program Objectives

The program aimed to improve aspects of services already provided and to introduce services where they currently did not exist. Key areas for improvements by this consortium included: Multi-disciplinary Care, Breast Care Nurses and Information & Communication.