Our Work
NEMICS health services and program staff work together to identify and implement improvements in cancer services. The priority areas for improvement include multidisciplinary care, supportive care, coordinated care and the provision of evidence-based care. The planning and implementation of service improvements involve active consumer participation.
The role of Victoria’s Integrated Cancer Services (VICS) is to promote system integration across structural boundaries and to encourage collaborative approaches to evidence-based service development. The VICS bring together a range of stakeholders, clinicians, researchers and consumers who have the ability to influence the development, and implementation of, evidence-based care. A key focus of the clinical networks is to reduce inappropriate variation in access and delivery of patient care.
Current activities
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Addressing variation in outcomes related to disadvantaged groups
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Cancer care coordination
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Community Ambassador program podcasts
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Implementation of the Optimal Care Pathways
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Multidisciplinary care
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My Cancer Care Record refresh
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NEMICS grants program
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Referral processes to palliative care
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Regional service planning
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Specialist programs and referral pathways scoping project
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Supportive care
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Survivorship
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Telehealth
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VICS consumer engagement peer group
Partnering With Consumers
NEMICS recognises that one of the best ways of enhancing patient care is to listen to and value the voice of people who have been diagnosed with cancer and have experience of the health care services.
It was because of this understanding that NEMICS formed a Consumer Reference Group. Our consumers provide advice and make an active contribution to improving cancer services by working with the NEMICS program office and health services within the region.
Consumer Engagement
Learn more about the work that NEMICS consumers have contributed to:
The NEMICS consumer participation strategy has four key strategic directions:
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develop the NEMICS consumer network and consider other structures to participation
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consumer participation at all levels
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consumer and carer participation in research activities
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support the capacity of consumers and carers to participate effectively in their own care
Consumer participation is supported at a national and state government level.
NEMICS Grant Program
The NEMICS service improvement grants program supports quality improvement in cancer patient or carer experience, reduction of variation in optimal care, and outcomes.
The grants target time-limited service improvement projects that translate evidence into practice. Projects that align with the Victorian Cancer Plan 2020-2024, VICS Implementation Plan priorities, address NEMICS regional needs, promote innovation, lead to sustainable service improvements, and have lessons that could be applied across NEMICS health services will be prioritised for funding.
NEMICS priorities include:
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Improving the adoption of care closer to home
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Supporting the implementation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander OCP
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Facilitating high quality cancer care for vulnerable populations e.g. LGBTIQ+ and CALD groups
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Facilitating high quality care for the older person
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Facilitating high quality supportive care
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Facilitating high quality survivorship care
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Facilitating timely advance care planning and palliative care
2023 service improvement grant recipients
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Implementation of novel volumetric arc modulated (VMAT) Total Body Irradiation at Austin Health to improve patient access for NEMICS patients undergoing bone marrow transplant
Project lead: A/Prof Richard Khor
Contact: Richard Khor
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Phenotyping palliative care patients most likely to benefit from physiotherapy
Project lead: Ms Andrea Morrison
Contact: Andrea Morrison
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State of the ART: Improving patient outcomes and experiences with Head and Neck cancer
Project lead: Dr Jessica Lye
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Development of an outpatient Venetoclax ramp up pathway
Project lead: Ms Emily Minopoulos
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Oncology Symptom Management Reform for Chemotherapy Patients at Mercy Hospital for Women
Project lead: Ms Janiece Williams
Contact: Janiece Williams
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Mercy Health Supportive Care Screening Review and Expansion
Project lead: Ms Janiece Williams
Contact: Janiece Williams
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Building capacity and expanding access to Cancer Clinical Trials In Northern Victoria
Project lead: Dr Chong Chyn Chua
Contact: Chong Chua
2022 service improvement grants underway
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Strong for Oesophago-gastric Cancer Surgery (SOCS) Project
Project lead: Dr. David Liu
Email: David Liu
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Outpatient monitoring of patients following consolidation chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukaemia
Project lead: Dr. Eric Wong
Email: Eric Wong
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Digitising the Caring Through Touch Program
Project leads: Ms. Eve Eidelson and Ms. Phillipa Shantz
Email: Eva Eidelson and Phillipa Shantz
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Persistent Fatigue Following Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation – Can We Break the Cycle?
Project lead: Dr. Genevieve Douglas
Email: Genevieve Douglas
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Optimisation of delivery of psycho-oncology services to enhance quality of life and other health outcomes for
cancer patients
Project lead: Prof. Niall Tebbutt
Email: Niall Tebbutt
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Development of a comprehensive Cancer Rehabilitation (CaRe) training program
Project lead: Dr. Amy Dennett
Email: Amy Dennett
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Evaluation of a new Interdisciplinary Allied Health Program in the Hospital in the Home Cancer Services model of care
Project lead: Ms. Ashlee Miller-Jenkins
Email: Ashlee Miller-Jenkins
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Patient-centred approach to optimise cancer patients understanding of complex medication labels
Project lead: Ms. Bonnie Jongue
Email: Bonnie Jongue
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Development of a comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Program specific for the diverse community of Northern Health
Project lead: Dr. Frances Barnett
Email: Frances Barnett
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Design and Implementation of an Oral Systemic Anticancer Treatment Program in Day Oncology at Northern Health
Project lead: Mr. Michael Cooney
Email: Michael Cooney
For any further questions or information please contact Helena Rodi, Service Improvement and Consumer Manager
Older People With Cancer
A focus area of the Victorian Cancer Plan 2016-2020 is to ensure all Victorians have equal cancer outcomes. Currently the outcomes of cancer care are poorer for certain populations, including older people, socioeconomic insecurity, cultural diversity and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
People over 60 years make up a significant proportion of our cancer population. A priority for NEMICS is to ensure that older cancer patients receive individually planned cancer care and support. NEMICS has engaged with its partner health services to identify strategies and models of care to better meet the needs of older cancer patients.
Outcomes are often poorer because older cancer patients:
• present late and are diagnosed at a later stage of disease
• experience poorer response to treatment
• experience complicated management due to comorbidities and functional status
• have complex polypharmacy issues
• are less likely to participate in clinical trials (less than 10%) with a resulting lack of evidence based treatment
• risk over and under treatment due to this lack of evidence
• experience a decline in function following treatment and a return to previous function can be unrealistic.
Regional Service Planning
Service planning
A collaborative event, involving NEMICS health services, focused on increasing the proportion of residents who receive safe and high-quality cancer care close to home, rather than accessing treatment in other regions. Discussion centred on how to improve the delivery of population-based cancer care in the NEMICS region.
NEMICS Consumer Reference Group member Graeme Down, shared his experiences and insights gained during diagnosis and treatment. Representatives from the health services presented an overview of their current and desired future state for delivery of cancer services.
Opportunities were identified and prioritised for each health service and for the region. The consumer perspective provided a strong theme during discussions and planning exercises.
Three areas were identified for action:
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specialist programs and referral pathways – a scoping project commenced April 2020
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care outside of hospital – the home-based cancer care framework and toolkit was released in May 2020 by Department of Health and Human Services
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cancer care coordination – a scoping project commenced March 2020
Improving self-sufficiency within NEMICS region
Increasing the awareness of services available in our region is an important first step towards more people in our region being treated in our region.
Service map
A map of all cancer and support service locations has been updated and clinically validated in 2019 and can be downloaded below.
It provides a snapshot of:
• location and access arrangements for services not on-site
• public and private providers of cancer care
• general services or oncology specific services
• full onsite services, or partial services or sessional appointments
The service map is available for NEMICS network partners to inform a common understanding of cancer service provision in the region. This document is intended for use as a service planning tool. It enables providers to identify where opportunities exist to improve current service provision. The map will be reviewed 6 monthly with updates published in June and December each year.
Working Towards Optimal Cancer Care
The nationally endorsed Optimal Cancer Care Pathways (OCPs) describe the optimal care for specific tumour types. They form the basis of our service improvement work across the region.
For more information about the OCPs please visit: https://www.cancer.org.au/health-professionals/optimal-cancer-care-pathways
NEMICS are currently working on two local OCP projects:
Pancreatic Cancer Resectability Project
Research has demonstrated that surgery offers the most effective treatment for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Our challenge is to identify patients who are eligible and who would benefit from surgery in borderline cases. This relies on consistent reporting of diagnostic tests. Establishing a standard would ensure patients with suspected pancreatic cancer are appropriately and consistently managed.
In partnership with Southern Melbourne ICS, NEMICS worked to achieve statewide consensus on a standard approach to borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.
An expert reference group, comprised of hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons, radiologists and oncologists from metropolitan and regional Victoria, adopted as a statewide standard the ‘International consensus definition and criteria of borderline resectable pancreatic ductal carcinoma 2017’.
The radiological synoptic report tool was developed by clinical leads from sites treating high numbers of pancreatic cancer patients. The tool was ratified for a pilot implementation project.
Data included in the synoptic report will also inform patient outcome research into the disease. A collaboration with the Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry (UGICR) has been established to collect the pilot data in a single location for this purpose.
The pilot project is occurring in two sites – Austin Health and the Alfred Hospital.
Streamlining oncology referral for Head & Neck cancer patients at Austin Health
Austin Health has commenced trialing the use of an ‘Expedited Oncology Referral Form’ in the multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) to address variations in care for Head & Neck cancer patients.
Surgeons now refer patients directly from the MDM to shorten the interval from surgery to adjuvant treatment. Using a structured form means that referrals contain all information needed by the multidisciplinary team, including prompts to ensure ancillary testing (e.g. audiology & orthopantomogram (OPG) is completed well before oncologist consultations.
Patients are now connected earlier with their oncology care providers (consultants, nursing and allied health staff) and receive better coordinated care.
Early feedback indicates the clinicians are satisfied with receiving clear staging information to guide their treatment planning.
Other MDMs at Austin Health have shown interest to expand use of the ‘Expedited Oncology Referral Form’.
"We are now able to start managing and caring for our H&N patients sooner”.
- Oncology specialist nurse
The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services are supported by the Victorian Government
© 2021 North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service
Contact Us
145 Studley Road,
Heidelberg, VIC 3084
P: (03) 9496 9968
F: (03) 9496 3898
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.