Grampians Region Colonoscopy Access Project
This project aims to explore timely access to colonoscopy for people after a positive (FOBT) result.
In August 2024, GICS received Federal Government funding to explore timely access to colonoscopy.
The project aim is to explore concordance with Clinical Practice Guidelines for timely access post a positive Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) result within the Grampians region, and to identify priority areas and activities to improve access to timeline colonoscopy.
This project has been dubbed the Colonoscopy Access Project (CAP).
Overview
The project will have focus across three streams Patient, Primary Care, Tertiary Health Services perspectives and aims to:
- Streamline and expand referral pathways to improve equitable and timely access to colonoscopy for National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) participants
- Improve compliance on colonoscopy reporting to the National Cancer Screening Registry
- Reduce the stage of disease for patients at diagnosis through earlier detection of disease enabled by the NBCSP.
Over the duration of the project we will be engaging with key stakeholders across the region to identity current issues across the streams, work through feasible solutions and to increase compliance to the National Cancer Screening Registry.
VICS CAP Funding Recipients Announced
A $500,000 funding allocation was budgeted, within the Commonwealth funding provided to GICS, for the VICS network. This funding is aimed at providing opportunity for scaling and spreading service improvement activities implemented in the Grampians region, across the state to public health services, who are similarly reporting significant delays in access to Colonoscopy.
An Expression of Interest process was undertaken in May 2025 with 13 applications received. Applications were reviewed ranked against the below criteria:
- Ability to define robust methodology and project aims
- Ability to define the size and scope of the problem
- Demonstrates alignment with the aims of the Colonoscopy Access Project
- Applicable to the needs of priority populations
- Organisational readiness
- Feasibility of delivering sustainable outcomes of the project on time and on budget.
In June 2025, a review panel assessed submissions with the Project Steering Committee endorsing recommendations for the funding of 6 projects listed below:
