In response to the Victorian Government’s cancer reform and the Cancer Action Plan, Western Health (WH) Cancer Services underwent review and planning and developed the WH Cancer Services ‘Supportive Care Strategy’ in 2009.
To meet the deliverables set by the Department of Health, the WH Supportive Care Strategy set local targets:
• Development of a psychosocial screening tool.
• Development of patient resources.
• Development of an e-learning training package for staff.
• By June 2012, 50% of newly diagnosed oncology patients to be screened.
• Evidence that 100% of staff are trained for supportive care screening.
The innovative WH “Wheel of Support” was developed as a practical, visual aid representing the philosophy of supportive care and its 5 inter-related domains. This resource aimed to assist people with cancer to identify their own supportive care needs at any time during their journey.
In meeting the identified targets, sustainability and a cultural shift were deemed necessary project components. WH established a process to measure and evaluate successes and opportunities. WH has seen a 60% improvement in supportive care screening from June 2011 to December 2012. WH has also shown significant improvements in staff training, with some areas having achieved our target of 100% of staff capability.
Measures have been implemented to ensure the sustainability of the WH Supportive Care strategy which includes:
• The establishment of a Supportive Care Follow up group that meets monthly.
• Monthly evaluation and feedback to stakeholders.
• Quarterly evaluation reporting to individual tumour groups.
• Administrative support.
• Monthly reporting through Governance structures.
• Development of an education program to support ongoing staff training, including a novel e-learn resource.
• Constant identification of opportunities to transfer project knowledge and outcomes.