Multidisciplinary Meetings
Multidisciplinary Meetings
Multidisciplinary meetings (MDMs) bring different health professionals from the Grampians region together to discuss the best treatment for each patient who has a diagnosis of cancer. Download a copy of the Victorian Cancer Multidisciplinary Meeting Quality Framework to find out more.
Ballarat MDM
Submissions close one week prior to the MDM.
Late case submission - Ballarat
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Contact mdmadmin@bhs.org.au or phone (03) 5320 6772
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You will need to contact the relevant pathologist and radiologist to ask to add the patient to the list.
Contacts for Ballarat
MDM Administration Officer
Email: mdmadmin@gh.org.au
Phone: (03) 5320 6772
Wimmera MDM’s
The Wimmera MDM’s are currently on hold at present and staff are reviewing when meetings will recommence. A calendar of meetings will be made available once the review has been finalised.
Contact for Wimmera
Carmel O’Kane
MDM Coordinator
Email: Carmel.O’Kane@gh.org.au
Phone: 03 5381 9087 or 0427 811 269
GICS Grant Opportunities
GICS Professional Development Grants
GICS are pleased to welcome and support professional development grant applications from the Grampians region multidisciplinary cancer workforce.
Applications are open for relevant conference or training opportunities that will be completed by 30 June 2024.
To be eligible you must work in cancer care at any of the following organisations:
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Ballan Health & Care Services
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Ballarat Austin Radiation Oncology Centre (BAROC)
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Beaufort & Skipton Health Service
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Central Highlands Rural Health
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East Grampians Health Service
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Grampians Health
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Maryborough District Health Service
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Rural Northwest Health
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St John of God Hospital (Ballarat)
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West Wimmera Health Service.
If you would like to register your interest please email gics@gh.org.au.
GICS Service Improvement Grants
We are very happy to announce the successful applications that sought funding as part of the GICS 2023 Grants Program. It is very encouraging to have so many service improvement ideas come through to us.
Please find below a summary of the projects GICS will be funding this round and we will provide further updates as each project progresses.
Ballarat & District Aboriginal Cooperative
Cancer Calendar
This project involves the development of an Aboriginal Art Calendar that will endeavour to assist in maintaining high screening rates within the Aboriginal community. Each month of the calendar will illustrate / highlight a different type of cancer screening that will align with nationwide / statewide cancer screening campaigns and initiatives normally held throughout each calendar year. The final product of the A4 calendars will be made available for free for the aboriginal community, with each months image/illustration to be created by local Aboriginal artists. The calendar will be linked with forums and events hosted by BADAC along a similar theme.
2020 - 2021 Grants Recipients
SCOPING PROJECTS
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Cancer Council Victoria - Peer Support for Carers of Cancer Patients receiving Palliative Care (Complete - Final Project Report)
SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
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BRICC - Intra-infusion Exercise in the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre (BRICC) Chemotherapy Day Unit - A Pilot Study (Complete - Final Project Report)
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BAROC - Understanding Patient Experience to Co-Design an Optimal Referral Management System (Phase 1 - Complete )
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BRICC - Why Wait for Wellness Program Evaluation & Program Expansion: Enhancing early access to health education and support for oncology patients in the Grampians Region (Project in Progress)
Education
A range of face to face and remote learning education options are available to meet the Grampians region workforce needs, read on for further information.
Education for Health Professionals
Cancer Care for Older People
Older people with cancer are the largest group affected. They are a diverse and growing group. Their appropriate care, during and beyond cancer, is an emerging field in cancer world wide. Older people are identified in the Optimal Care Pathways as a 'special needs group' due to the complexity of care. Research undertaken by Cancer Council Victoria (CCV) have estimated that more than half (58%) of Australians with a personal history of cancer will be aged 70 years or older in 2040.
The Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) Victorian State Group identified care of the older person with cancer as an education priority. With sponsorship from the Victorian Integrated Cancer Services (VICS), a pre-congress symposium was held on 20 June 2019. The symposium report is available here.
In 2019, a Wimmera Research Group undertook a project in collaboration with the Cancer and Aging to use international affiliation to understand needs and improve care of older regional Australians with cancer. Please find an infographic of their findings below.
Facing Cancer Later in Life
This short video provides an opportunity to hear from people who have been diagnosed with cancer later in life. They speak about strategies they found useful and help us to understand more about older people's experience of cancer. John, who offered his consumer story last week, is one of the four people featured in the video.
A Common Path
A series of short videos offering support and advice for those affected by cancer from others who have travelled 'A common path'. The videos have been produced by North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Services (NEMICS).
Self-Directed Learning
The revised Central Venous Access Device (CVAD) self-directed learning package is now available for FREE for staff in the Grampians region.
The package provides participants with the opportunity to explore and examine the foundations of knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the management of PICCS, PORTs and Hickman catheters.
You can also find out more information at the eviQ education website.
More Information
Robyn McIntyre
Clinical Nurse Educator (Oncology)
Centre for Education & Training - Grampians Health
P - (03) 5320 4797 E - robynmc@bhs.org.au
Online Learning
National Education Framework Cancer Nursing
The National Education Framework Cancer Nursing (EdCan) and a suite of online learning resources were developed as part of the Australian Government's Strengthening Cancer Care initiative.
The free online resources are directed at nurses; however, they are available for all health care professionals.
eviQ Education
The cancer eLearning resources for health professionals, eviQEd, provides medical, nursing, allied health and general ward staff with blended learning courses that standardise and promote evidence based practice when caring for patients with a cancer diagnosis.
The online resources are free, online registration is required for all participants.
Face to Face Education
Regional cancer and palliative care education for the Grampians region is provided through:
Grampians Regional Health Collaborative
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2023 Grampians Cancer CPD Education Program (pending)
Grampians Regional Palliative Care Team
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Ongoing education available to all health care professionals working in Palliative Care
Western Victorian Primary Health Network
Education for primary care health professionals including:
Grampians Health (Ballarat) - Education Programs
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The Highway Model of Education provides a range of education programs
Post Graduate Cert. in Clinical Nursing - Oncology
The Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Grampians Health have partnered to deliver the post graduate certificate in clinical nursing oncology in the Grampians region.
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Visit the ACU website for more info or to apply online.
Cancer Council Victoria Education
Cancer Council Victoria offers training programs, eLearning modules and webinars for health professionals. Refer to individual courses for CPD and accreditation details.
More Information
Robyn McIntyre
Clinical Nurse Educator (Oncology)
Centre for Education & Training - Grampians Health
P - (03) 5320 4797 E - robynmc@bhs.org.au
Allied Health Cancer Education
Edith Cowan University offers the Exercise for the Management of Cancer Life Now instructor course.
The Australian Catholic University has a variety of events on offer.
Grampians Cancer Data Access
GICS is able to supply data to health services (including list of UR numbers) for the purposes of informing service delivery and opportunities for improvement, demand and gap analysis, and for research purposes (provided appropriate ethics approval has been granted).
This represents an exciting opportunity, and will enable health services to better meet the demands of people affected by cancer in this region. It will also enable more timely review of service performance in relation to delivery of cancer care.
GICS has developed the Grampians Cancer Data Access Policy and Data Analysis Request Form to enable health care professionals working in the Grampians Region to apply for data and analysis reports - refer below:
Wimmera Southern Mallee Cancer Resource Nurse
Cancer Resource Nurses (CRNs) are local health professionals who are trained to offer supportive care to people affected by cancer in their area. They can refer people with cancer to the right services as close to home as possible and offer support and information. CRNs are now located in most Wimmera Southern Mallee health services.
People travel around the Grampians region and beyond for cancer treatment. Brochures and a ready-reference map make finding a local Cancer Resource Nurse easier than ever and have been distributed to cancer services throughout the region, to help cancer service staff refer patients from the Wimmera Southern Mallee area back to their local Cancer Resource Nurse.
The introduction of telehealth via Health Direct, a web-based portal, can link CRNs and their patients to Carmel O'Kane, Oncology Nurse Practitioner and/or their Medical Oncologist in the comfort of their own home. This new service aims to reduce the travel burden of regional cancer patients during their ongoing cancer treatment and care.
Cancer Resource Nurses
Grampians Health - Edenhope (EDMH)
(Edenhope, Apsley and Harrow)
Address: Elsie Bennett Centre, cnr Lake & Mollison Street, Edenhope 3318
Email: crn@edmh.org.au
Grampians Health - Horsham (WHCG)
Day Oncology Unit
Address: 83 Baillie Street, Horsham, 3400
Email: wimmeramdm@whcg.org.au
Rural Northwest Health
(Beulah, Hopetoun, Warracknabeal)
Address: 18 Dimboola Road, Warracknabeal, 3393
Email: crn@rnh.net.au
West Wimmera Health Service
(Nhill, Jeparit, Kaniva, Rainbow, Goroke, Natimuk, Minyup & Murtoa)
Address: 43-51 Nelson Street, Nhill 3418
Email: crn@wwhs.net.au
Wimmera Cancer Care Closer to Home
We are happy to report that Wimmera cancer patients now have improved access to care, closer to home. This has been achieved after two successful telehealth projects were completed. This has now ensured that a range of telehealth consultation services are available.
Patients based outside of Horsham can attend their closest Wimmera health service for an oncology consultation if appropriate. Alternatively, Edenhope & Memorial District Hospital, Rural Northwest Health and West Wimmera Health Service can host cancer patients' telehealth consultations, connecting them with the Wimmera Cancer Centre, at Wimmera Health Care Group.
Regular patient telehealth consultations with Melbourne and regional specialist centres are also offered at the Wimmera Cancer Centre, along with other non-cancer specialties who utilise this service.
A renal physician has recently commenced telehealth consultations for Wimmera renal patients as an extension to their outreach service. The Wimmera Cancer Centre provides renal dialysis.
Contact
For further information contact:
Carmel O'Kane
Manager - Wimmera Cancer Centre
Ph: 5381 9087
The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services are supported by the Victorian Government
© 2023 Grampians Integrated Cancer Service
Contact Us
GICS
BRICC Level 2,
Grampians Health - Ballarat
1 Drummond Street VIC 3350
Email: gics@gh.org.au
Phone: (03) 5320 4782
The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present. We celebrate, value and include people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities.