Aim: Barriers to implementing supportive care in routine cancer care are well documented. To enable routine supportive care screening for cancer patients addressing these barriers is critical. This paper outlines NEMICS’ strategies for enabling its health services to implement sustainable supportive care screening practice. Results from phase one (January 2010 and June 2011) and phase two (commenced early 2012) screening projects will be presented.
Method: To support the implementation of routine supportive care screening, the following strategies have been adopted: (1) a non-competitive grant program providing resources and an environment of collaboration; (2) opportunities to learn about supportive care; (3) commitment from CEOs; (4) a network of champions of supportive care was facilitated; (5) evaluation was synchronised, and (6) audit results to screening units were provided.
Results: By June 2011 all four health services had developed and implemented models of supportive care screening. A total of 321 clinicians were educated in screening and 716 staff attended general in-services. 671 patients were screened over two data collection periods. Phase 2 projects are focussing on implementing screening within specialist clinics. Work is also under to establish screening practices by private providers and co-located public health providers where patients cross services. A number of issues have been identified that both support and challenge implementation within these areas.
Conclusion: Through a network approach NEMICS enabled its member health services to develop and implement supportive care screening. There is variation amongst health services and units in terms of sustainable integration into clinical practice. The collaborative process has enabled lessons learned to be evaluated and shared, guiding the expansion of supportive care screening in phase 2 projects.