From: Stephanie Fletcher Sent: Thursday, 28 January 2010
3:36 p.m. To: Stephanie Fletcher Subject: CCN - Quarterly
Newsletter January 2010
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January 2010 Issue 1
Ka mohio ka whakatipu Knowing is
Growing
Dear
Welcome to the first newsletter produced by the
Central Cancer Network (CCN). A newsletter will be produced
quarterly and distributed to all CCN stakeholders who we have
an email contact for in our database.
Our newsletter name "Ka mohio ka whakatipu"
means "Knowing is growing". This is one of the Tikanga
statements in the CCN Strategic Plan which describe how CCN
will work towards the vision of improved cancer prevention and
control through increased regional collaboration not
constrained by organizational, service or professional
boundaries. The essence of this statement is described as:
"What you don't know I know, what you know I
should know. No one is superior then anyone, we all come with
the same usefulness. Through cognizance comes understanding;
through understanding comes knowledge; through knowledge comes
life and wellbeing. In order to move forward we must all work
together to understand. The more knowledge we all have the
more understanding we will all have growing and sharing
together. Enlightenment attained."
The newsletter will contain updates on national
activity, CCN projects and other regional activity and
district-led cancer control activities. We welcome your
contributions at any time so please contact Stephanie
Fletcher, CCN Support Coordinator, for information stephanie.fletcher@midcentraldhb.govt.nz.
In this first newsletter we also introduce the
members of the CCN Governance Group. The region is fortunate
to have such a knowledgeable, widely representative and
committed group guiding the activities of the network in
support of improved prevention and control of cancer across
the region.
Our website is also now active and will enhance
communication and knowledge sharing -
www.centralcancernetwork.org.nz. We are continuing to develop
a password protected section so that stakeholders involved in
various projects can view various documents relevant to their
working group. It is anticipated that this section will be
fully functioning in January 2010. Details on how to access
the section will be forwarded via email.
Additionally the CCN 6-monthly report for the
period July - December 2009 has been completed and can be
accessed via the following link: CCN 6 monthly report July - December
2009.
Please share this newsletter with your
colleagues and interested parties.
Jo Anson Network Manager
National updates
Patient Experience Survey
For the first time people who need outpatient cancer
treatment have been surveyed to gauge their experiences in the
public health system. The Cancer Control Council (now named
Cancer Control NZ) received 2239 responses, or a 66% response
rate to the survey which is now closed.
Initial results show that overall satisfaction with the
publicly funded outpatient cancer care system is very high -
with 97 percent satisfaction levels. Although patients who
responded to the survey generally rated the quality of care
and services overall very highly, ratings for certain aspects
of care could be improved.
The strength of the 2009 Cancer Care Survey is that it
allows specific aspects of cancer care to be teased out as
areas of strong performance or opportunities for improvement.
The Voice of Experience Part One national report contains all
the preliminary descriptive results for the survey.
Regional results will be available shortly and a more in
depth national report available by mid 2010.
A meeting of interested clinicians and cancer organisations
was held in Wellington on 6th November 2009 to discuss the
development of a National Lung Cancer Working Group to provide
leadership. It was agreed to progress the development of this
group and terms of reference were shaped.
Charles De Groot (Clinical Director for the Midland Cancer
Network) has been appointed interim Chair, with the Chairs of
the regional Lung Steering Groups sitting alongside to form an
initial quorum. Nominations for membership of the working
group were called for during Dec / Jan, with the first meeting
of the group scheduled for early March 2010. At this meeting
the annual work plan for the group will be agreed and is
expected to include work on developing clinical guidelines and
standards.
This will be the first national tumour stream working group
to be established and the group will work in collaboration
with the regional Lung Steering Groups. If this initiative is
successful, consideration of a national bowel cancer working
group will be discussed in July 2010.
Priorities for Cancer 2010/11
The Ministry of Health has indicated the following
priorities for cancer control for 2010/11 to DHBs and the
Cancer Networks:
Meeting the Cancer Health Target for radiation therapy
Improving medical oncology reporting via the Indicator
of DHB performance (IDP)
Developing lung and bowel cancer tumour streams
Supporting national and regional work to standardize a
range of models of care and treatment pathways
This will inform the DHBs current District Annual Planning
(DAP) process and the regional cancer networks annual work
planning.
Regional Updates
Central Cancer Network Governance Group
The role of the CCN Governance group is to consider and
prioritise advice and recommendations from other network
groups, and to oversee development and implementation of the
annual work-plans and regional strategic plan for CCN in order
to achieve the Networks vision. The Governance Group includes
representation from across the region and across the
continuum, including DHB, NGO, Consumer, Maori and Pacific.
The members are responsible for supporting and advising the
Network and District Health Boards and communicating with
their participating organisations about issues, activities and
priorities.
Current membership
Mike Grant, MidCentral DHB (Chair)
Astrid Koornneef, Capital and Coast DHB
Dianne Keip, Hawke's Bay DHB
Annette Nesdale, Hutt Valley DHB
Virginia Brind, Tairawhiti DHB
Kevin Nielsen, Hospice Taranaki
Marie McKay, Wairarapa DHB
Judith MacDonald, Whanganui Regional PHO
Bronwen Laurenson, Cancer Society
Denise Robbins, Consumer Representative
Pat Bodger, Piki Te Ora Nursing Services, Taranaki
Siloma Masina, Hutt Valley DHB
Colin Tukuitonga, Ministry of Pacific Island
Affairs
Addressing Inequalities Pilot Funding 2009/10
CCN is seeking to assist Local Cancer Networks (LCNs) to
identify and coordinate specific activities aimed at
addressing inequalities by providing $10K one off funding per
district. By devolving this pilot funding to the Local Cancer
Networks CCN is seeking to support the following outcomes:
Districts are supported to address identified
inequalities
Local Cancer Networks are better supported to function
effectively
Gains are made across the entire CCN region
It is proposed that CCN facilitate workshops at upcoming
local cancer network meetings early in the New Year to assist
districts to:
Identify the areas of inequalities that are most
relevant for their district
Identify recommended remedial actions from relevant
plans / reports and assess progress against these
Identify current activities at a district, regional and
national level aimed at addressing inequalities and where
the pilot funding can add value
LCNs will be required to provide a brief report on the
outcome of the activity/ies at their conclusion. It is
expected that the learnings will be shared across the CCN
region.
For more information see the website or contact Ali Hamlin,
Service Improvement Facilitator.
Lung Tumour Stream
On the back of the Regional Lung Report which was
disseminated April 2009, Andy Simpson and Shirlee McLean have
toured many of the region's DHBs to discuss the findings in
more detail, update on progress to date and to determine
priorities going forward. Those regions that have not yet been
visited have meetings scheduled for the beginning of the New
Year.
Current activity includes:
Development of the lung MDMs in the region
Development of processes to capture and report specific
indicators to assist with monitoring the lung pathway
Gaining support from the regional Lung Steering Group to
commence a project to develop a regional Lung Clinical Nurse
Specialist (CNS) model
It is anticipated that the recently formed National Lung
Working Group will support progression of a number of the
recommendations of the Lung Report that should occur at a
national level e.g. the development of clinical guidelines,
standards.
For more information see the website or contact Shirlee
McLean, Service Improvement Facilitator.
Bowel Tumour Stream
Work has commenced in the Bowel tumour stream with
the establishment of a regional steering group and high level
patient pathway mapping across all DHBs.
The mapping
process has included:
Workshops in each of the DHB districts (excluding
MidCentral which had recently been mapped by internal staff)
to gather information from secondaryand tertiary
providers
Consumer focus group meeting in the Hutt Valley and
Capital and Coast DHB area
Questionnaires to Hospices to identify any specific
issues at the palliative care end of the pathway
Meetings with GPs to gain their perspective on issues
particularly at the pre-diagnosis and post-treatment parts
of the pathway
Working alongside the MOH Bowel Cancer Team to identify
issues, particularly around colonoscopy
services
Information gained from this work and recommended
actions will be presented in a Regional Bowel Report which
should be disseminated in March 2010. A draft implementation
plan will accompany this report.
For more information see the website or contact
Shirlee McLean, Service Improvement Facilitator.
Addressing Inequalities for Pacific
Communities
In December 2009 the CCN Pacific Communities Stocktake
Report and draft implementation plan was sent out to
stakeholders. The purposes of this report are:
To determine the make-up of Pacific communities within
the Central region in order to identify potential groups,
networks and specific communities to be engaged with
To identify the extent of current strategies,
programmes and activities in place aimed at reducing
inequalities specifically for Pacific communities within
health and the cancer control continuum, in order to
identify initiatives that could be supported , or where
there are gaps
To identify specific information about Pacific peoples'
cancer incidence as one factor for prioritising key issues
for Pacific people and cancer in the Central
region
The report makes recommendations regarding possible
engagement processes that could be used across the region and
in specific DHB areas, to support strong engagement between
cancer services and Pacific communities, as well as specific
projects for reducing inequalities. A number of Pacific
community groups, Pacific health providers and individuals
working within health services were identified during the
compilation of the report, as potential stakeholders in the
work to reduce inequalities for Pacific people in cancer
control. One of the next steps from this work will be to have
conversations with them to ascertain what roles they wish to
play in this work.
Feedback on the draft implementation plan was requested
through January with activities commencing February 2010.
For more information see the website or contact Caren Rangi, Service
Improvement Facilitator.
Imaging Guidelines in Cancer Management
CCN in collaboration with clinical staff and consumers from
the region has developed Imaging Guidelines in Cancer
Management to promote regional consistency in the imaging of
cancer patients at the time of diagnosis, staging and
surveillance.
The guidelines have been adapted from
the UK Guidelines "Recommendations for Cross-Sectional Imaging
in Cancer Management" endorsed by the Royal College of
Radiologists (UK). The purpose of the guideline is to:
provide evidence based guidelines to guide
practitioners on appropriate imaging modalities and
techniques for cancer patients
support standardised medical imaging and reporting
practices at the time of diagnosis, staging and surveillance
for cancer patients across the CCN region
reduce the number of repeat or unnecessary medical
imaging procedures.
The guideline was distributed electronically in December
2009 along with an implementation plan to support providers to
apply the guidelines. Hard copies of the guidelines will be
available in the New Year. Contact Stephanie Fletcher
Stephanie.fletcher@midcentraldhb.govt.nz should you want a
copy for your service or department. The guideline is also
available electronically from our website 'Imaging Guidelines in Cancer Management'
For more information see the website or contact Shirlee McLean, Service
Improvement Facilitator.
Regional Multidisciplinary Meetings (MDM) Development
Project
This project has CCN working with DHBs to develop the
capability of existing MDMs to function effectively in a
regional / sub-regional manner and determine if the proposed
video-conferencing solution being trialled by the DHBs will
meet the needs of the region with respect to this. The project
also seeks to enhance data capture and reporting from these
meetings.
The project focuses on the development of lung and bowel
MDMs in the region as an initial approach however the
information and resources developed as a result will be
transferable in principle to MDMs for other disease sites.
Current activities include:
identifying videoconferencing resources and
connectivity for each DHB
working with the MDM teams to develop Terms of
Reference and regional referral processes
developing systems to support the capturing and
reporting of data
The project will run through to March / April 2010.
For more information see the website or contact Jon Herries, Project
Manager.
Cancer Centre Collaboration Project
Within the Central Cancer Network (CCN) region there are
two cancer centres - Regional Cancer Treatment Service (RCTS)
provided by MidCentral DHB and Wellington Blood and Cancer
Centre (WBCC) provided by Capital and Coast DHB. Historically
the level of collaboration between the two cancer centres and
supporting DHBs has been variable and generally based around
relationships between various individuals versus service level
arrangements. Whilst these individual relationships are
important and need to continue it is necessary to build on
existing collaborative activities.
This project aims to support a clinical approach to
strengthening the services by identifying opportunities for
greater levels of collaborative arrangements and future models
of service delivery to better meet the needs of the
populations within the CCN region. Though the project focuses
on the activity around the two tertiary treatment centres; it
is taking a whole systems approach that is considering all
services provided regionally. As such it will engage
stakeholders across the region to consider regional solutions.
The draft project scope is currently circulating to
stakeholders for comment (feedback requested by the 9th
February 2010).
A call for expressions of interest for membership of the
Project Advisory group is also sought (closes 5th
February).
For more information see the website or contact Robert Bull, Project
Manager
Demystifying Cancer Programme Toolkit
In 2004, Health Services involved in cancer control and the
Cancer Society within the MidCentral region came together to
develop a Demystifying Cancer for Maori Programme through a
series of one day workshops. These workshops brought together
local providers of cancer control services from across the
entire continuum (Health Promotion, Screening, Treatment,
Supportive Care and Palliative Care) to deliver information on
the cancer pathway and the services available for patients
with cancer. The workshops have been tailored to different
audiences eg to up skill generalist health care workers or to
inform and engage with Maori at a community level. Service
providers involved in delivering the workshops report enhanced
inter-provider relationships as well as a greater
understanding of the needs of its communities.
CCN seeks to support a similar approach in other districts
by developing a toolkit with information and resources to
assist organisations / groups to plan and deliver these
workshops to either Maori or Pacific communities.
A draft toolkit will be available by the end of January
2010.
For more information see the website or contact Ali Hamlin or Caren
Rangi, Service Improvement Facilitators.
Care Coordination Stocktake Toolkit
CCN is aware that a number of service providers, local
cancer networks and professional groups are currently
discussing care co-ordination issues in their districts. CCN
is seeking to support them to undertake a stock-take of cancer
co-ordination services / resources within their region by
developing a toolkit to support the process. Information
gained from conducting a stocktake will enable districts to
identify where there are gaps in co-ordination services for
patients or integration issues between services throughout the
patient's journey. As a result service planners, providers and
local cancer networks will be better informed to identify and
prioritise remedial actions.
A draft toolkit has been circulated to stakeholders and CCN
is in discussion with a number of districts regarding its
implementation.
For more information see the website or contact Ali Hamlin,
Service Improvement Facilitator, Addressing Inequalities.
District Updates
Future newsletters will feature information on cancer
control activities happening around our region, supporting the
sharing of new and best practice initiatives. Please contact
Stephanie Fletcher, CCN Support Coordinator, to contribute
information stephanie.fletcher@midcentraldhb.govt.nz
Upcoming Events
Regional Cancer Control Hui - 8th / 9th March 2010,
Wellington
CCN is to host a two day regional hui on March 8th / 9th
2010 in Wellington
Objectives of the hui;
To continue meaningful engagement with whanau hapu Iwi
and Maori with respect to Maori leadership and cancer
control
To provide a networking opportunity for stakeholders
across the CCN region
To enable the sharing of information about cancer
control activity
To promote a focus on identifying and addressing
inequalities
To provide a forum of expertise to support planning and
development of services
For more information see the website or contact Ali Hamlin, Service
Improvement Facilitator.
