First Nations Cancer Coordinator role

Improving Cancer Outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians: The First Nations Cancer Coordinator Pilot

In 2023, WCMICS supported the establishment of Victoria’s first dedicated First Nations Cancer Coordinator (FNCC) at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, a culturally grounded role designed to improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Co-designed through Aboriginal community governance, consumer partnerships, and alignment with national care strategies, the FNCC role provides culturally safe, person-centred support across the entire cancer care journey. The FNCC works closely with multidisciplinary cancer teams, advocating for patients, building trust, and enhancing cultural safety within the health system.
Evaluation has shown the FNCC to be a vital cultural educator and patient advocate—strengthening care coordination, improving communication, and empowering clinicians to provide more culturally responsive care. The role has also played a critical part in navigating hospital-community pathways and supporting end-of-life care that aligns with patients’ cultural needs.

A key deliverable of the project was the development of a First Nations Cancer Coordinator Toolkit—a suite of practical resources designed to support the scale and spread of the FNCC model across Victoria. WCMICS is proud to launch this toolkit to guide services in embedding culturally safe, community-informed care.

With the release of the toolkit, there is now a clear pathway for broader implementation across services and settings—creating new opportunities to embed the FNCC model more deeply within both hospital-based and community-controlled care.

For more information, please contact Dilu.Rupassara@petermac.org