Cancer is the leading cause of mortality in Victoria, generating high levels of consumer concern. The care of cancer patients represents a significant proportion of health care delivered in Victoria.
The need for improved delivery of cancer services and improved outcomes for patients and their families is a priority for both State and Federal governments. In 2012 in Australia 66% of people diagnosed with cancer survive for over 5 years. Primary care provides holistic, coordinated and team based care and is potentially better suited to meet the complex needs of cancer survivors compared to traditional models.
In 2012 Cancer Council Victoria was engaged by the Victorian Department of Health to bring key members of the Victorian cancer care sector together to develop and deliver evidence based resources and practical guides to up skill Primary Health Care Nurses in the management of cancer survivors in the general practice setting. The organisations represented on the advisory expert reference group included; GPV, The Gippsland Integrated Cancer Service, the Victorian Cancer Survivorship Centre and the Australian Practice Nurses Association.
A four hour workshop was developed and delivered by experts. Participants were provided with resources and practical tools specific to cancer survivors. PHCN current skills in chronic disease management, needs assessments, care planning can be applied to patients surviving cancer.
The Cancer Council Victoria website hosts sustainable resources to support this project. An abridged version of the education will be delivered at the APNA conference in May 2013.The education has the capacity to be extended to other health professional groups in the future to encourage this as a whole of practice change.
Supporting clinicians to gain confidence in managing cancer survivors by providing range of formats to reinforce the concepts and reach a wider audience. The project will have a long term evaluation to understand the impact.