About GRICS
The Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Service (GRICS) is one of Victoria’s nine Integrated Cancer Services, known collectively as the Victorian Integrated Cancer Service (VICS). The VICS comprise three metropolitan, five regional services and a statewide paediatric service. The VICS are funded by the Victorian Department of Health with Governance structures set locally to guide service improvement and collaborative work for each VICS.
GRICS is guided by a Governance Group that is a partnership of 16 Gippsland public, private and community health services as well as the Gippsland Primary Health Network, and work to positively impact cancer outcomes for patients in Gippsland. GRICS achieves this by fostering strong working relationships with partner organisations and stakeholders and undertaking projects that will ensure best practice cancer service delivery within the region.
Our Mission
• Understanding the needs of people affected by cancer
• Building and supporting collaboration between health professionals, health services and consumers
• Driving quality improvement in cancer care
• Supporting development of the cancer workforce
• Facilitating system-wide engagement in cancer research
Our Vision
Improving
patient experiences
and outcomes by
connecting cancer care
and driving best practice.
Strategic Goals
A Networked Cancer Care System
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Link services involved in cancer care (across all sectors including cancer centres, health services, community organisations) and work with these health services and health professionals to align priorities
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Strengthen linkages between metropolitan and regional cancer service providers
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Engage consumers and communities in the work of the VICS
High Quality Cancer Care
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Implement the Optimal Care Pathways including improvements to multidisciplinary care, supportive care and care coordination
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Analyse available data and information of relevant clinical evidence/innovation and disseminate it to drive quality improvement
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Support providers to apply cost-benefit considerations to care/service planning and delivery
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Continue statewide Optimal Care Summits to drive consistent cancer care across tumour streams
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Continue to drive improvements in the patient experience of cancer care
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Continue to support workforce development initiatives
Research Informed Cancer Care System
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Encourage providers to participate in clinical trials programs
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Support health services research
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Foster robust evaluation of cancer programs, models of care and VICS initiatives
Health Service Partners
GRICS is a joint venture involving health service providers across the Gippsland region. Under its governance structure, GRICS holds no direct authority over member agencies. GRICS works instead to promote service delivery improvements for regional cancer patients by fostering strong productive working relationships with its membership and other key stakeholders.
Member agencies of the GRICS network are:
Cancer in Gippsland
The Gippsland region is located in south eastern Victoria. Its geography covers over 18% of Victoria’s total landmass (41,538 square kilometres). The region stretches along the coast from the New South Wales & Victorian border in the far-east to Phillip Island in the west, Wilsons’ Promontory in the south to the mountains of The Great Dividing Range in the north. The Gippsland region comprises of the following six Local Government Areas (LGAs); Bass Coast, Baw Baw, East Gippsland, Latrobe, South Gippsland and Wellington.
Cancer is a leading burden of disease in Victoria, 28% of all deaths in Victoria were caused by cancer; there are 98 new diagnoses every day (or one every 15 minutes).
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In 2019, 2216 incidents of newly diagnosed cancer were recorded for the Gippsland region.
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In 2019, 813 people died of cancer and the most common cancers in Gippsland were Genitourinary, Colorectal, Breast, Lung, and Upper Gastro-intestinal.
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The 65-69 age group represent the highest number of newly diagnosed with cancer across the 11 tumour streams in Gippsland for the period 2015 - 2019.
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Men represented 56.3% of newly diagnosed patients compared to women 43.7% for the period 2015-2019 in Gippsland.
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Men represented 57.4% of deaths in Gippsland for the 2015-2019 period compared to women who accounted for 42.6% of deaths for the same period.
For further information on data in Gippsland, please contact Jody Neal (Cancer Data & Information Analyst) on 5128 0139 or send an email using the button below:
Enquiries to: Jody Neal | Cancer Data & Information Analyst
Email: jneal@lrh.com.au Phone: (03) 5173 8361
Enquiries to: Kashif Sheikh | Cancer Service Improvement Coordinator
Email: kashif.sheikh@lrh.com.au Phone: (03) 5173 8366
Mail to: PO Box 424 Traralgon 3844 | Village Avenue Traralgon West
Cancer Treatment in Gippsland
Gippsland Cancer Care Centre
The Gippsland Cancer Care Centre (GCCC) based at Latrobe Regional Hospital provides comprehensive cancer care incorporating chemotherapy, radiotherapy, specialist consulting and support services. It is a publically funded facility providing a comprehensive range of treatment options for Gippsland cancer patients. The purposefully designed facility provides access to state-of-the-art treatment technology ensuring patients are able to receive the best possible treatment while remaining close to their home, family and friends. For more information on the Gippsland Cancer Care Centre please click on the following link: Gippsland Cancer Care Centre
Gippsland Rotary Centenary House
The Gippsland Rotary Centenary House is a community owned facility that provides safe, supportive and affordable accommodation to patients/families of the GCCC. For more information on Centenary House please call (03) 5171 1600 or click on the following link: Gippsland Rotary Centenary House
Radiotherapy
Gippsland Radiation Oncology provides radiation oncology services as part of the GCCC located at Latrobe Regional Hospital. Gippsland Radiation Oncology main reception can be contacted on (03) 5173 8770. Gippsland Radiation Oncology is a satellite service of the Alfred Hospital located in Melbourne. For more information on the Gippsland Radiation Oncology centre and its range of patient services please click on the following link: Gippsland Radiation Oncology
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is available at six Gippsland health services. For more information on the range of chemotherapy treatments at each health service please contact the hospital oncology units via the numbers below:
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Bairnsdale Regional Health Service: Oncology Unit – (03) 5150 3327
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Central Gippsland Health: Oncology Unit – (03) 5143 8600
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Gippsland Southern Health Service: Oncology Unit – (03) 5667 5555
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Latrobe Regional Hospital: Oncology Unit – (03) 5173 8000
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West Gippsland Healthcare Group: Oncology Unit – (03) 5623 0611
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Bass Coast Health: Main reception – (03) 5671 3333
The GRICS Team
Mahesh Iddawela
GRICS Clinical Director
Contact Details:
03 5173 8351
Ask me about:
Cancer Survivorship, Research, Clinical Trials, Genomics
Stewart Harper
GRICS Program Manager
Contact Details:
03 5173 8353
Ask me about:
The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services, the GRICS program of work, how GRICS can support your team to identify and implement service improvement initiatives.
Samantha Beattie
Administration Officer
Contact Details:
03 5173 8351
Ask me about:
Any general enquiries; Scholarship applications; invoice queries & GRICS events.
Jody Neal
Cancer Data & Information Analyst
Contact Details:
03 5173 8361
Ask me about:
Data requests; data audits & analysis.
Donna O'Callaghan
Cancer Service Improvement Coordinator
Contact Details:
03 5173 8335
Ask me about:
Communications, Exercise and Cancer, Survivorship, Oncology Clinic Directory/Guidelines
Kashif Sheikh
Cancer Service Improvement Coordinator
Contact Details:
03 5173 8366
Ask me about:
Repatriation referral pathways, data requests; data audits & analysis.
Caroline Lasry
Cancer Service Improvement Coordinator
Contact Details:
03 5173 8351
Ask me about:
Consumer Reference Group
Chloe McAinch
Regional MDM Project Officer
Contact Details:
03 5173 8358
Ask me about:
Currently on leave.
Elizabeth Mercer
Cancer Service Improvement Coordinator
Contact Details:
03 5173 8086
Ask me about:
Breast Cancer Quality Improvement & Melanoma
The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services are supported by the Victorian Government
Contact Us
GRICS
Level 1, Cancer Care Centre
Latrobe Regional Hospital
PO Box 424
Traralgon VIC 3844
Phone: (03) 5128 0138
Fax: (03) 5173 8198
Email: gricswebsite@lrh.com.au
© 2021 Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Service
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.