Print Friendly

Font Size

Search

Advanced Search

Click an article below to read

• From the National Manager

  From the National Manager

  Welcome to another edition of the Gynae Cancer Centre News, which aims to keep you updated on the activities and projects of the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers (NCGC).
  The Centre is delivering an extensive three year work program in order to improve outcomes for women affected by gynaecological cancers, their carers and families.
  I wish to acknowledge the support and active involvement of the NCGC Advisory Group; the project working groups; consumer members of the NCGC Advisory Group, and the National Consumer Advisory Group, and consumer participants on our evaluation panels; and key stakeholder organisations who contribute enormously to gynaecological cancer care in Australia.
  During the last six months the Centre has consulted extensively with states and territories to explore how we plan to work together over the next two years to strengthen the workforce in order to provide quality gynaecological cancer care.
  The Centre recognises the importance of partnerships if we are to build on the expertise available across Australia, and develop sustainable networks that facilitate access to coordinated, quality, multidisciplinary gynaecological cancer care.
  There is the challenge of ensuring that women have access to the best available treatment and that treatment centres are equipped with a skilled multidisciplinary team to respond to the full range of needs of women affected by gynaecological cancers. This is why we need to work together on solutions to make sure we make the best use of resources available.
  I continue to be humbled and encouraged at people’s generosity and commitment to continually improve and make gynaecological cancer care better.
  The progress we make towards our goal of improving outcomes for women affected by gynaecological cancers, their families and carers, and lessening the impact of cancer on their lives will be regularly reported in this newsletter, and on our website www.gynaecancercentre.gov.au  

  Thank you for your interest in the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers. I hope you enjoy our update and continue to participate in projects that aim to better support women with gynaecological cancer and strengthen the quality and accessibility of gynaecological cancer care.

  Kind regards

  Susan

  Susan Hanson

• Building Partnerships to improve gynaecological cancer care & support

  Building Partnerships to improve gynaecological cancer care & support

  The National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers Advisory Group comprises consumers, gynaecologic, medical and radiation oncologists, health professionals, researchers, epidemiologists and policy makers. The advisory group has made an extensive contribution to the strategic management of the Centre and individual projects.  It has been particularly valuable having input from across the cancer control continuum.

  The NCGC Advisory Group last met in Sydney on Tuesday, 10 March 2009.   At this meeting, members discussed plans to pilot the minimum data set for endometrial, cervical and ovarian cancer, which was developed in partnership with the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC).
  Members also participated in a focus group discussion, designed to inform the Centre’s next phase of work around the gynaecological cancers workforce. A second facilitated focus group discussion was used to inform the development of clinical practice guidance material for the management of women with endometrial cancer.
  The Advisory Group members’ ongoing interest and commitment to the Centre continues to significantly contribute to its capacity to effectively address issues which affect gynaecological cancer outcomes, and reduce the impact on those affected.

  The NCGC Advisory Group will next meet in the second half of this year. 

  The Centre is working in partnership with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RANZCOG), states and territories, policy makers, clinicians and health professionals to develop a national service delivery and resource framework for gynaecological cancers, to help build a road map for quality gynaecological cancer care into the future.

  We are also working in partnership with the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre to have the newly developed national specialist minimum data set for gynaecological cancers pilot tested. Standardising the data we collect on women with gynaecological cancers will enable us to examine the effects of our treatment, benchmark for national improvement, and improve outcomes for all those women affected by gynaecological cancers.
  

• Improving the evidence in gynaecological cancer care

  Improving the evidence in gynaecological cancer care

  NHMRC NICS – Cancer Australia NCGC Clinical Fellowship 

  The Centre is delighted to announce the awarding of the 2009 NHMRC NICS – Cancer Australia NCGC Clinical Fellowship to Dr Mary Ryan, a clinical nurse consultant at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney. 

  Dr Ryan will use her Fellowship to undertake a two-year implementation project to make formal assessment of nutrition and physical condition routine for women with gynaecological cancers. Dr Ryan has found that if women and their health care providers proactively manage nutrition and physical condition, there is good evidence that they will require less time in hospital following surgery, and have less wound infections.

  Dr Ryan’s Fellowship is for a period of two years, and another NHMRC
  NICS – Cancer Australia NCGC Fellowship will be offered in 2010.  The aim of this Fellowship will be to undertake a project that identifies and addresses a current important evidence-practice gap in the management of gynaecological cancers. 

  To assist us in our efforts to meet the Centre’s aims, and in accordance with our Ministerially approved workplan, the Centre has commissioned an external Evaluation of the National Centre of Gynaecological Cancers.  Evaluation of the Centre will include determining whether the Centre is reaching the appropriate target groups, how effective it is in meeting the Minister’s objectives, and how it is performing in relation to its workplan and the needs of key stakeholders. 

• Supporting the workforce to provide quality coordinated multidisciplinary gynaecological care

  Supporting the workforce to provide quality coordinated multidisciplinary gynaecological care

  The Gynaecological Cancers Workforce Project

  One of the ways the Centre aims to improve outcomes for women affected by gynaecological cancers, their families and carers, is through supporting the gynaecological cancers workforce to deliver coordinated, quality care. 
  Stage One of the Gynaecological Cancers Workforce Project was a review of the workforce undertaken by the National Institute of Labor Studies, and after extensive consultation with the advisory group, states and territories, policy makers and professional organisations and scoping, the work of the second stage of this important project has recently commenced.

  There are three interrelated elements to the Gynaecological Cancers Workforce Project:·        

  • The Centre has entered into a partnership with RANZCOG to develop the National Gynaecological Cancers Service delivery and Resource Framework, aimed at building a sustainable, skilled gynaecological cancers workforce through planning, education and training;·        
  • The Centre has signed joint funding agreements with New South Wales and the ACT; Victoria and Tasmania; South Australia and the Northern Territory; and Western Australian to assist with the development, piloting, implementation and evaluation of elements of the National Gynaecological Cancers Service Delivery and Resource Framework; ·        
  • The Centre has procured the services of Siggins Miller to provide a national coordination, evaluation and support service that will:
  • strengthen national capacity in gynaecological cancers;
  • coordinate the needs of the four jurisdictional projects including facilitating an agreed national approach to data collection, evaluation of the Framework and the development of resources to meet the objectives of the project;   
  • facilitate shared learning;     
  • reduce duplication of effort. 

  It is anticipated that the development of the Framework, its implementation, projects to support the Framework, and its evaluation, will occur over the next two years.

• Improving information and support for all women affected by gynaecological cancers, their families and carers

  Improving information and support for all women affected by gynaecological cancers, their families and carers

  Developing a ‘one stop’ shop about gynaecological cancers

  The Centre is working with GSB Consulting, consumers, its Advisory Group and key cancer organisations to assess available information, adapt if necessary and develop information where there are gaps to produce a suite of quality information resources to better support women with gynaecological cancers. This project is in its final stages and the resources cover endometrial cancer, other uterine cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, vaginal cancer, vulval cancer, fallopian tube cancer, placental and gestational trophoblastic disease (pregnancy-related cancers), and span the patient journey in areas that include the description of the tumour, prevention and risk factors, screening and early diagnosis, treatment and supportive care, including psychosocial, psychosexual and follow-up care, recurrence, management and support between and after periods of active treatment, palliative care, useful information, and frequently asked questions.
  These resources will soon be made available on the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers website: @ www.gynaecancercentre.gov.au

  
  Building Cancer Support Networks Program

  
  The Centre has co-funded the following three projects which continue to build the support available to women with gynaecological cancers:

  • Women’s Health Victoria – Funding to develop support initiatives targeted at women with gynaecological cancers in north east metropolitan Melbourne
  • Upper Hume Community Health Service – Funding to support a project worker to develop, pilot and evaluate a Border Wellness Clinic for women diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer in the Albury/Wodonga region
  • Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service – Funding to consolidate a newly established cancer support group for Aboriginal women affected by gynaecological cancer, including a special focus on providing education to women about the early detection and treatment of women with gynaecological cancers.

   

  Jeannie Ferris, National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers Consumer Churchill Fellowship

  In 2010, the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers hopes to fund its first Consumer Fellowship, which will be administered and promoted by The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

  This Fellowship has been named in honour of the contribution made by the late Jeannie Ferris; Liberal Senator for South Australia who was passionately committed to advancing health issues affecting women.  After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in October 2005 Jeannie Ferris was instrumental in establishing and participating on the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee which produced the October 2006 Senate Committee Report, Breaking the silence: a national voice for gynaecological cancers. This resulted in the establishment of the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers in 2007, to improve outcomes for women affected by gynaecological cancers, their families and carers, and to lessen the impact of cancer on their lives.  Jeannie Ferris died in April 2007 at the age of 66.

  Applications will be sought from November 2009 until February 2010. Whilst we are not involved in the selection of Churchill Fellows we encourage women with gynaecological cancers and carers to apply. We have requested two selection criteria be included:

  • Applications will only be sought from consumers, including: women diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer; or a family member or carer who has been directly involved in supporting a woman with a gynaecological cancer; and
  • The successful applicant will be expected to undertake a project that will benefit women affected by gynaecological cancers and assist in reducing the impact of gynaecological cancers on those affected.

  Full details of the Fellowship will be outlined on The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust website www.churchilltrust.com.au.

  The Centre is working to raise awareness of the psychosexual health needs of women who have been treated for gynaecological cancers.

  The Centre has recently engaged the services of Professor Patsy Yates, from the Queensland University of Technology and her team, to develop, pilot test and evaluate an evidence-based interactive, web based, training module and supporting resources for health professionals and consumers. The resources aim to address the psychosexual care of women affected by gynaecological cancers and their partners. The resources will be a valuable tool for the treatment of women with all gynaecological cancers, but will focus on endometrial, ovarian, cervical and vulval cancers. It is expected that this learning module will be available through the
  Centre’s and the Cancer Learning websites after July 2010.

  Building the evidence in gynaecological cancers
  GP’s on-line learning module: in partnership with the Royal Australian College of General Practice, Cancer Australia has developed an on-line learning module on gynaecological cancers for GPs. This module is available at http://www.gplearning.com.au/

  National Survey of General Practitioners and Gynaecologists to establish referral practices:  the Centre, is conducting a national survey of general practitioners and gynaecologists to establish the referral practices of GPs and Gynaecologists in relation to women with gynaecological cancers.

  Clinical practice guidance material for the management of women with endometrial cancers: the Centre is developing clinical practice guidance material for the management of women with endometrial cancers in three priority areas.

  Research into gynaecological cancers: the Centre is a partner in Cancer Australia’s Priority Driven Collaborative Cancer Research Program.

  
  For more information about these and other projects currently being undertaken by the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers please visit out website @ www.gynaecancercentre.gov.au