Optimal care - cancer services framework

Victoria's cancer reform agenda began with A cancer services framework for Victoria (2003) which set out the following principles:

• multidisciplinary cancer care to ensure effective and efficient patient management
• maximum geographic access for patients and their carers and families
• high-quality and safe cancer services.

The following structures, processes and resources support optimal cancer care:

• integrated cancer services driving change at the local level
• optimal care pathways to guide the delivery of consistent cancer care for a range of tumour streams
• monitoring of care consistent with the optimal care pathways (the optimal cancer pathways data project)
• the development of a model for safety and quality in cancer care
• service model resources.

The framework has four service improvement priorities:

• multidisciplinary care
• care coordination
• supportive care
• reducing unwarranted variation in practice (quality monitoring and support).

The Victorian Cancer Agency will support the translation of research findings to the clinical setting.