Statewide Cancer Survivorship Program
Statewide Cancer Survivorship Program
Summary
The Victorian Cancer Plan (VCP) 2024-2028 commits to driving progress towards more equitable health outcomes for all Victorians. The VCP defines survivorship as “a phase of care that follows primary treatment for cancer. Survivorship can include support for rehabilitation, help to detect and prevent new or recurrent cancers, psychological support and community-based support.” (page 4 Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-2028)
As the population of cancer survivors continues to grow due to advancements in cancer detection and treatment, there is an increasing need for survivorship care that addresses the unique challenges these individuals face. In Victoria, many health services provide survivorship care, but the models of care (MOC) used vary in practice and approach, limiting the spread of best practices and creating inconsistencies in care quality.
The VICS in partnership with their local health services and the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC) plan to develop a statewide directory of cancer survivorship models of care, that will provide health services with access to proven care models that can be adopted, adapted, scaled and spread across Victoria. The project will build on the successes, learnings and recommendations of these initiatives to ensure and support the spread of known, established MOC and/or clinics.
A VICS Survivorship Program Lead will be appointed for two years to deliver the key outcomes of the project with the direct support of the VICS Survivorship peer group. This will build on existing relationships between the ICS and their member health services, ensure strong engagement and co-design throughout the three stages of the project.
The Department of Health have provided funding to support the roll out of these projects, the small seed funding will be distributed via an Expression of Interest process managed by the VICS role and a project steering committee with support from the survivorship peer group. Engagement of the peer group will encourage the local adoption and piloting of initiatives across the ICS. A robust monitoring and evaluation framework will be implemented to ensure sustainability and identify impact measures.
Program Aim
The aim of this program is to support the scale and spread of established cancer survivorship models across VICS member health services.
Expected Outcomes and Outputs
The initiative will enhance survivorship care across Victoria involving a strategic approach built on collaboration, funding, and coordination.
Inputs include a dedicated statewide lead to oversee activities, support from the VICS Survivorship peer group for collaboration, and seed funding to encourage local adoption of survivorship MOC. Key to the initiative are stakeholder engagement and existing knowledge from established survivorship models, as well as intelligence from collaborations with the ACSC.
Activities encompass an environmental scan to identify existing survivorship models and templates, which will inform the creation of a statewide directory. The initiative will support the adoption of proven models through tailored assistance and seed funding, while program coordination ensures smooth implementation. An evaluation framework will measure key outcomes, and ongoing reporting will keep stakeholders informed.
Outputs include a comprehensive statewide directory of best-practice survivorship care models, the implementation of these models across multiple health services, and the establishment of a learning network for knowledge sharing. Regular reports will track progress and provide insights.
In the short term, the initiative aims to raise awareness of available survivorship models and drive engagement from health services, leading to successful pilot implementations. Medium-term outcomes focus on improved access to consistent, high-quality care and better patient outcomes across regions. The long-term vision is for sustainable, statewide adoption of scalable survivorship models, reducing disparities in care and supporting continuous improvement through data-driven evaluation.
Contact Stewart Harper for more information.