New Directions in Cancer Care

Cancer is the greatest cause of mortality in Victoria, and generates a high level of consumer concern. The care of cancer patients represents a significant proportion of all health care delivered in Victoria.

The need for improved delivery of cancer services along with improved outcomes for patients and their families has been identified as a priority for both State and Federal governments and is driven by many factors including trends in population health, workforce issues, the increasing complexity and cost of cancer care and the shift of cancer treatment to the ambulatory setting.

The structures and processes that support optimal cancer care

• The establishment of Integrated Cancer Services to drive change at the local level through involvement of key multidisciplinary clinical staff in Local Collaborating Tumour Groups (LCTG)/Clinical Reference Groups (CRG).
  
  
• The development of Patient Management Frameworks to guide the delivery of consistent cancer care for a range of tumour streams.
  
  
• The development of a model for safety and quality in cancer care.
  
  
• The identification of four priority service improvement areas for reform to be addressed at the local and state-wide levels
  • multidisciplinary care
  • care coordination
  • supportive care
  • reducing unwanted variation in practice (quality monitoring and support)
    
    
• The establishment of the Victorian Cancer Agency to support the translation of research findings to the clinical setting.

What's New

Victoria's Cancer Action Plan 2008 - 2011

In December 2008, Premier John Brumby and Health Minister Daniel Andrews launched Victoria's Cancer Action Plan 2008-2011.