Supportive care screening: Health services self-assessment project
In 2024, the VICS conducted a statewide self-assessment survey to evaluate supportive care screening practices across health services providing cancer treatment.
Supportive care is essential for comprehensive cancer care, addressing the diverse physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and practical needs of patients. Our assessment sought to identify gaps and opportunities for improving supportive care screening to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.
Aim
To develop a tool that enables open conversation with key stakeholders, to gain an in-depth analysis of current practices, challenges and opportunities related to supportive care screening.
Approach
The VICS Supportive Care Working Group developed a self-assessment survey based on the 16 Quality Cancer Supportive Care Indicators*.
This tool comprised 53 questions that allowed health services to identify:
- current supportive care screening practices
- existence of supportive care screening documentation
- barriers and facilitators to implementing supportive care screening
- potential opportunities for service improvement
VICS staff conducted the survey with their local member health services as a semi-structured interview, to encourage open conversation.
Outcomes
Out of the 9 Integrated Cancer Services (ICS) that comprise the VICS, 7 participated in interviewing their local health services with the supportive care self-assessment tool. A total of 45 health services took part in the survey, resulting in 86 completed interviews.
Only 57% of health services reported having supportive care guidelines or policies in place, highlighting a lack of defined protocols.
Time constraints were a significant barrier for nursing staff, both in completing screenings and accessing non-mandatory, outdated training that lacked protected work hours.
Additionally, screening practices varied, with no standard timepoints for reassessment throughout the patient care continuum.
Referrals were inconsistently documented, affecting the multidisciplinary approach needed for optimal care coordination.
However, several areas where improvements can be made were identified, including:
- standardising supportive care screening practices
- enhancing referral documentation and processes
- improving utilisation of screening data
- strengthening communication and training – particularly in cultural competency.
Reports
Recommendations
The report above provides recommendations aimed to address the gaps identified in the survey and to improve the overall supportive care experience for Victorians diagnosed with cancer. The recommendations fall under 11 key themes:
- Local level analysis
- Increase supportive care screening rates
- Standardise screening tools
- Enhance documentation and data collection
- Improve referral processes
- Increase access to cultural competency training
- Address barriers to interpreter services
- Enhance patient and family education
- Supportive care training for staff
- Monitor and evaluate progress
- Leverage technology for data-sharing and communication.
Conclusion
The VICS supportive care self-assessment survey has enabled each ICS to gain valuable insights into the current screening practices within their local health services. It has also fostered stronger connections with key stakeholders, supporting the implementation of quality improvement initiatives to address local health service needs and ultimately deliver high-quality supportive care for people diagnosed with cancer.