Victorian Tumour Summits are clinician-led forums to identify unwarranted variations in tumour-based clinical practice and cancer outcomes that could be addressed through statewide action.

Multidisciplinary clinical working parties are formed to guide the planning of each summit, oversee data analysis and presentation, and guide the refinement of recommendations.

Clinical working parties comprise cancer clinicians based in metropolitan, rural and regional settings.


Resources

Summits

Clinician resources
Colorectal 
Head & Neck Articles
Lung Related documents
Lymphoma Steering committee
Oesophagogastric Victorian Cancer Plan 2016-2020 excerpt
Pancreatic Victorian Tumour Summits e-newsletter
Prostate Victorian Tumour Summits e-newsletter previous editions
 

 

Victorian Cancer Plan 2016-2020

Reproduced from page 26, Victorian Cancer Plan 2016-2020

Consistency in the quality of treatment
Victorians should receive timely, high-quality cancer treatment no matter where they live. Currently, there are unwarranted variations across Victoria in the timeliness, consistency and outcomes of cancer treatment.

The Optimal Care Pathways for cancer patients have been described for 15 major tumour types, and provide a template against which variations in care can be assessed and understood. To complement the Optimal Care Pathways, statewide tumour summits have been held to better understand the opportunities for improvements in the care of colorectal, lymphoma, lung and prostate cancer.

Improving the consistency of cancer care will lead to fewer unnecessary procedures for patients, more timely interventions that reduce the need for more complex care, address disparity in outcomes, and also support better morale among the health workforce. 

Cancer treatment is increasingly complex, both because of advances in personalised and targeted treatments, and the growing incidence of comorbid chronic diseases. Some cancer treatments require highly specialist staff, high-volume centres or specific equipment to be provided safely. Therefore, clear referral pathways between health services are essential to support people when they need to travel for treatment.

Focus for 2016–2020
•    Implement the nationally endorsed Optimal Care Pathways across Victorian cancer services and monitor variations against best practice.
•    Build on the statewide tumour summit program undertaken to date by organising further summits and implementing outcomes from these.
•    Continue to develop a statewide cancer performance indicator and monitoring program, and implement data collection and reporting against a range of key agreed indicators.
•    Streamline referral processes to higher-volume services for complex and rarer cancer patients and implement a services capability framework across Victoria to inform referral pathways.

'Effort should be put into doing consistently what we already know works well.' 

 
Steering committee:
Ms. Sophie Scott Ms. Kathryn Whitfield Prof. Jeremy Millar
A/Prof. Paul Mitchell Ms. Katherine Simons Prof. Jeff Szer
Dr. Sachin Joshi Dr. Craig Underhill Ms. Marita Reed
 
 
Victorian Tumour Summits e-newsletter previous editions:

 

 

This is an initiative of the Victorian Integrated Cancer Services delivered in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services – Cancer Strategy Development (DHHS – CSD) and Cancer Council Victoria – Clinical Network (CCV- CN).

 

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