Professional development

The National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers aims to increase awareness and education about gynaecological cancers for medical and allied health professionals to improve the diagnosis, treatment and care of women affected by these cancers.

Development of an interactive training module for health professionals to address the psychosexual care of women affected by gynaecological cancers

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The National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers is working to raise awareness of the psychosexual health needs of women diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer.

The Centre has appointed a team lead by Queensland University of Technology to develop an evidence-based, interactive, web-based training module and supporting resources for health professionals and gynaecological cancer consumers, which will address the psychosexual care of women affected by gynaecological cancers and their partners, including: endometrial, uterine, ovarian, cervical and vulval cancers.

Project objectives

1. To develop the skills of primary, secondary and tertiary health professionals in providing effective psychosexual care to women and their partners affected by a gynaecological cancer; and
2. To improve quality of life for women who have been affected by a gynaecological cancer and their partners.

Module contents

The module, due for release in August 2010, will include the following topics:

• Understanding sexuality
• Understanding the experience of the psychosexual effects of gynaecological cancer
• Enquiring about and responding to the psychosexual sequelae of gynaecological cancers
• Undertaking a comprehensive sexual health assessment
• Evidence based approaches to treatment of psychosexual sequelae of gynaecological cancers
• Advanced therapeutic interventions

Supporting resources

Supporting resources will be available in both an electronic and print ready format for primary, secondary and tertiary health professionals. The resources will include:

• Psychosexual assessment and referral tools; and
• A psychosexual support and information resource that health professionals can give to patients to support the counselling process.

Project Working Group

A Project Working Group has been established to provide guidance in the area of psychosexual care to women who have been affected by a gynaecological cancer. This group includes women who have been affected by a gynaecological cancer and nominees from the following organisations:

• Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
• Australian New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG)
• Australian Society of Gynaecologic Oncologists
• Australian Society of Sex Educators, Researchers and Therapists (ASSERT), NSW
• National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre
• Ovarian Cancer Australia
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• Royal Australian New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)
• Royal College of Nursing, Australia
• Royal Women’s Hospital
• Speaking Openly

Further information

For further information and regular updates about the project’s progress, please visit:

http://www.hlth.qut.edu.au/nrs/research/associated_centres_and_programs/gyn/

Supporting General Practitioners

The general practice care of women with a gynaecological malignancy is the focus of an active learning module currently on the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' gplearning website.

Commissioned by the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers, Managing gynaecological malignancies in general practice considers the management of women with cervical, ovarian, endometrial and vulval cancers, from initial presentation to their GP, through to palliative care, as part of a multidiscplinary team approach.

This learning module now forms part of the RACGP's new active learning module Female cancers and psychosocial care. Suitable for general practitioners and practice nurses, completion of this activity is approved for 40 Category 1 points in the RACGP QA&CPD Program and has been approved for Women's Health points.

For more information, visit gplearning.