Successful 4th CanNET Workshop
Cancer Australia has developed the Cancer Service Networks National Demonstration Program, (CanNET) to better link regional and metropolitan cancer services. CanNET involves the Australian, states and Northern Territory governments working collaboratively with consumers of cancer services and health professionals to improve outcomes through better coordination of existing services.
This project began in 2007 and the implementation phase was funded until June 2009 with the sustainability phase extending to June 2010 in most sites. The 4th CanNET workshop was held in Melbourne on 11-12 June and provided an opportunity for each of the CanNET to present their achievements, lessons learned and how they have planned to sustain this work into the future.
The evaluation report is being completed but some of the general outcomes that emerged from the workshop include:
- CanNET added value and made a substantial contribution across most of the CanNET elements
- The projects built capacity in regional and rural areas where they operated
- The Networks identified key enablers and barriers for future network development.
Effective local governance was a key success factor bringing people together around a common agreed model. In doing so, the networks supported professionals and services to work better as a team and to take service reform forward.
The Networks developed high levels of consumer engagement and involvement in service delivery and planning, supporting the jurisdictions to develop substantial knowledge, information and resources on consumer engagement in service delivery and planning. It became evident that this involvement by consumers increased network members’ recognition of the importance and value of consumer engagement in service delivery and planning in most networks.
Most Networks developed and disseminated new resources to improve consumer awareness of, and access to, cancer services, including a Directory of Services that at a minimum, provides consumers and general practitioners with up-to-date information about their closest multidisciplinary cancer assessment team (by tumour and postcode).
An important element of CanNET has been the establishment of new multidisciplinary teams and enhanced support for existing multidisciplinary teams. The impact has been the emergence of 19 new multidisciplinary teams as a result of CanNET. The multidisciplinary teams include a range of different models; regional and state wide multidisciplinary teams; tumour specific or general multidisciplinary teams and those linking regional/rural clinicians with metropolitan multidisciplinary teams.
Agreed referral pathways were developed to promote multidisciplinary care and improve consistency in practice. At least 7 state/territory wide pathways; and 12 network wide pathways have been developed. Given the considerable time it takes to map pathways and gain agreement, this has been quite an achievement.
There is still work to do and Cancer Australia has received funding in the 2009-10 Federal Budget, to build on this work to:
- Develop Networks specifically to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ needs;
- To explore role redesign by testing new and expanded roles;
- Define and manage minimum case loads; and
- Further support health professionals through continuing professional development.
Planning has begun on this work and information about progress will become progressively available on Cancer Australia’s website www.canceraustralia.gov.au as will final outcomes of the CanNET project.