Innovations in Cancer Control Grants Program

Priority 1 - Investigating Clinical Variation and Addressing Unwarranted Clinical Variation
Priority 2 - Improving the Experiences of People and Carers affected by Cancer in Multicultural Communities

Priority 1 - Investigating Clinical Variation and Addressing Unwarranted Clinical Variation

Title: Addressing unplanned readmissions and improving data quality in Sarcoma
Recipient: Western Sydney Local Health District

The project will use a multidisciplinary approach to investigate why unplanned readmissions for WSLHD are high. Any variations from best practice identified and contributing reasons found (e.g. infection rates) will then be addressed by the team.

As accurate data is important for obtaining reliable outcome data, a part of this funding will be used to improve the quality of Sarcoma data being collected and determine sustainable approaches to improving data quality.

If numbers allow, the indicators will be reviewed after six months to determine if any change in practice has occurred. The findings will be summarised in an evaluation document.

Timeframe: 1 July 2021 to 29 September 2023
Funding: $80,000

Title: Addressing unwarranted clinical variation in patient selection and management of early oesophageal adenocarcinoma in WSLHD and NSW
Recipient: Western Sydney Local Health District

The incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma has rapidly increased, with a 7-fold rise over the past 30 years. Oesophagectomy has been the standard of care, achieving 90% 5-year survival when disease is localised to the mucosa. However, there is risk of peri-operative mortality (2%) and long-term irreversible digestive dysfunction, including dumping syndromes (50%), which significantly impair quality of life (5-7). Recently, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has emerged as a minimally invasive curative therapy, without associated digestive-morbidity and mortality. 

Unwarranted clinical variation through under-utilization of ESD requires exploration, with a view to improving patient selection and clinical outcomes.

Timeframe: 1 October 2021 to 29 September 2023
Funding: $70,000

Title: A framework for identifying and addressing variation in the management of bladder cancer within Hunter New England
Recipient: Hunter New England Local Health District

There is significant variation in practice in the management of localised bladder cancer within the HNE.  In addition, there is variation in outcomes between sites within HNE and the rest of NSW.  While this variation has been identified the causal factors and indeed validity of this data is difficult to extract from current reporting systems. 

The purpose of this project is to formalise the management of bladder cancer through the introduction of an evidence-based management protocol coordinated by the Urology Care Coordinator.  Integration of data capture, KPIs and PROMs will enable iterative quality improvement measures

Timeframe: 25 July 2021 to 29 September 2023
Funding: $75,900

Title: Build NSLHD district-wide consensus and Model of Care for cancer service delivery within the district for gastrointestinal cancers
Recipient: Northern Sydney Local Health District

Cancer outcomes are improved when the surgery is performed by high-volume surgeons and also at high-volume hospitals. Thus, recognition of minimum surgical volumes applies to surgeons and facilities where the surgeries are performed and to the entire cancer service delivery.

RBCO has outlined minimum-volume standards for each cancer. Despite recognition of minimum volumes, patients may still come to be treated by low-volume surgeons or by low-volume facilities.

RBCO 2020 identified some facilities within the NSLHD perform some surgeries for gastrointestinal cancers below the minimum recommended. This has potential implications for surgical outcomes, supportive care teams and ultimately the patient experience.

Timeframe: Mid-September 2021 to Mid-June 2022
Funding: $80,000

Priority 2 - Improving the Experiences of People and Carers affected by Cancer in Multicultural Communities

Title: Improving the cancer outcomes of the prostate cancer patients through a culturally and linguistically appropriate community initiative
Recipient: CanRevive

This project focuses on enhancing community awareness on early detection of prostate cancer; and developing a comprehensive prostate cancer resource kit that better accommodate the cultural and linguistic needs of Chinese speaking prostate cancer patients before, during, and after their cancer journey. Strategies include:

• collaboration with health professionals, local stakeholders, LHDs;
• a series of language specific community education sessions across Sydney Metropolitan areas;
• prostate cancer related Chinese resources distribution, education sessions, support groups and physical therapy workshops;
• survey and focus groups to identify the barriers of seeking early detection and decision on treatment options.

Timeframe: 2 August 2021 to 31 August 2023
Funding: $50,000

Title: Working together to Lessen the Impact of Cancer
Recipient: Vietnamese Community in Australia - NSW Chapter Inc

The project aims at:

• Improving local GPs’ knowledge of and confidence in supporting people with cancer;
• Implementing activities that facilitates early diagnosis of lung cancer, timely referral to lung cancer specialists and access to bets practice in treatment of lung cancer for the people of Vietnamese background across NSW
• Enhancing the experiences and quality of life of those affected by cancer by providing them with information around fear of cancer, early diagnostic pathways, treatment options, self-management and survivorship and

Giving them a space for expression of their powerful self-insight into their journey of battling with cancer.

Timeframe: 1 September 2021 to 31 May 2023
Funding: $50,000

Title: Lost in translation? Improving multicultural cancer patient outcomes
Recipient: Hunter New England Local Health District

To improve the outcomes of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cancer patients and their carers by ensuring that video interpreters are embedded into all stages of care in the cancer continuum. The team will work closely with the Calvary Mater Newcastle to ensure that an interpreter is engaged for each appointment by ensuring consistency of information transfer through the variety of systems.

The project will compare the experience of patients who have had access to interpreters using qualitative approaches, compared to cancer patients who did not have them for all appointments.

Timeframe: 1 September 2021 to 1 December 2022
Funding: $50,000

Title: Improving patient and carers journey for CALD communities
Recipient: South Western Sydney Local Health District

The project is a collaborative education intervention using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) as a modality. The project aims to increase coping skills and strategies to reduce anxiety, increase knowledge of cancer and how and when to access services.

The project will assist patients and families from Arabic, Assyrian and Vietnamese backgrounds to make well informed decisions re treatment and care options.

Many cancer patients / carers find themselves isolated, misunderstood and overwhelmed after finding about their diagnosis. For CALD patients /carers this is further exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, impacting on decision making.

Timeframe: 1 October 2021 to 31 July 2023
Funding: $39,400

Title: Development of culturally and language appropriate diet, nutrition and speech-related resources for head and neck, oesophageal and upper-GI cancer patients
Recipient: Northern Sydney Local Health District

This project aims to improve assessment and care pathways for head and neck, oesophageal and upper-GI cancer patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)/ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) backgrounds by improving access to culturally and language appropriate resources.

Much of the resources currently available are written in English and adapted toward a Western diet which is not suitable or appealing to CALD/ ATSI patients.

Developing appropriate diet plans will assist in delivering adequate nutrition to high risk population and cancer patients. The supplied information about swallowing and eating difficulties will be translated in various languages for improved understanding. 

Timeframe: 1 September 2021 to 30 June 2022
Funding: $50,000

Priority 2 - Investigating Clinical Variation and Addressing Unwarranted Clinical Variation
Priority 3 - Improving the Experiences of People and Carers affected by Cancer in Multicultural Communities

Priority 2 - Investigating Clinical Variation and Addressing Unwarranted Clinical Variation

Title: Investigating unwarranted clinical variation in Murrumbidgee Local Health District: cancer clients presenting to Emergency Departments throughout cancer treatment
Recipient: Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD)

This project will investigate reasons for unwarranted clinical variation for MLHD cancer clients presenting to hospital emergency departments.

It has been identified through NSW admitted data that MLHD has an above average hospitalisation rate for people with a cancer diagnosis. This has increased from 4,219 in 2002/03 to 5,549 separations in 2018/19, accounting for more than 1,600 hospitalisations per 100,000.

MLHD has the highest percentage of people surveyed in the 2018 Bureau of Health Information's Outpatient Cancer Clinics Survey who reported presenting to an Emergency Department due to complications of care, with this figure increasing from previous years.

Timeframe: 24 months / October 2020 - September 2022
Funding: $79,794.00

Title: A prospective observational study to determine the incidence of renal complications associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Recipient: Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (Sydney West Cancer Network)

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionised treatment of different malignancies in the last few years. They act by facilitating the destruction of cancer cells by the body's own immune cells. However, they also are associated with adverse effects involving multiple systems including kidney dysfunction. The exact incidence and the outcomes of kidney dysfunction is not known. Hence, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (Sydney West Cancer Network) decided to undertake this study to look at renal outcomes in patients being initiated on immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Timeframe: 23 months / 30 October 2020 - September 2022
Funding: $20,000.00

Title: Neoadjuvant therapy in Rectal Cancer patients: To watch and wait or operate - that is the question
Recipient: Northern Sydney Local Health District

Literature indicates 10-25% of patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer achieve a complete clinical response, as evidenced by complete histological remission in the surgical excision. It may be possible to identify these patients prior to surgery and adapt a so-called Watch and Wait strategy. This project aims to understand if the Watch and Wait approach has a role in the management of rectal cancer patients within NSLHD. It will endeavour to identify this cohort of patients within NSLHD, understand current practices and clinician attitudes to the development of a Watch and Wait protocol.

Timeframe: 7 months / December 2020 - June 2021
Funding: $80,000.00

Title: Line sepsis surveillance and management for haematology and oncology patients at St George Hospital
Recipient: St George Hospital

This project will:

• Review current incidents of catheter related line infections in the haematology and oncology population.
• Implement a detailed surveillance process for Cancer patients with Central Venous Access Devices.
• Identify variations in practice related to process for blood culture collection and the management of suspected or confirmed catheter related line infections between consultants and specialties.
• Identify and implement a standardised model of care for catheter related line infections based on best practice.

Timeframe: 12 months / October 2020 - September 2021
Funding: $24,000.00

Title: Addressing unwarranted clinical variation in patient selection and management of early rectal cancer in WSLHD and NSW
Recipient: Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD)

Elderly patients and those with multiple comorbidities, often have worse surgical outcomes compared to their younger counterparts. Previous studies have shown, standard treatment algorithms are often not applied for these patients, and where surgery is offered, less complex, non-restorative techniques are commonly preferred. This can lead to significant impacts on quality of life and overall survival. Early or T1 rectal cancer is often curable and can be managed with local resection techniques with reduced morbidity and negligible mortality. Unwarranted clinical variation through underutilization of local resection strategies warrants exploration with a view to improve clinical outcomes

Timeframe: 24 months / October 2020 - September 2022
Funding: $80,000.00

Title: Addressing Variations in Care in Lung Cancer Management
Recipient: Western Sydney Local Health District

The project will use a multidisciplinary approach to establish key quality indicators taken from the international literature and local expertise. For the chosen indicators, it will then compare the care of lung patients being presented to the Multidisciplinary Team meeting. For those indicators that show considerable variation, strategies will be developed to address these variations and guidelines will be prepared and introduced for the team.

Six months following implementation, the indicators will be reviewed again to determine if a change in practice has occurred. The findings will be summarised in an evaluation document.

Timeframe: 23 months / October 2020 - August 2022
Funding: $80,000.00

Priority 3 - Improving the Experiences of People and Carers affected by Cancer in Multicultural Communities
 

Title: Understanding head and neck cancer - videos
Recipient: Head and Neck Cancer Australia (formerly Beyond Five)

When someone is diagnosed with cancer information is key. This project will develop easily accessible, culturally sensitive and evidence-based videos delivered by patients, carers and healthcare professionals about the head and neck cancer journey for the five most common non-English languages in the WSLHD and SWSLHD. These include Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Hindi languages. The videos will educate and empower people living with head and neck cancer from these multicultural communities to self-manage their care helping to improve their quality of life and cancer experience before, during and after treatment.

Timeframe: 21 months / October 2020 - June 2022
Funding: $30,000.00

Title: Embed culturally responsive practices with development of systematic processes to identify and support people of CALD background
Recipient: Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (Nepean Cancer Services)

Currently at Nepean Cancer Services (NCS) there is no system for identifying people with additional support needs including from culturally and linguistically diverse background, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island background and people who have low English proficiency. These people are recognised as being under-served and amongst the most vulnerable to ‘falling through the cracks’. This project proposes to create processes within NCS that will systematically identify people needing additional support (e.g. an interpreter) and provide a patient-centred approach to meeting these support needs. Further, NCS will complement these processes with a whole of service approach to providing culturally responsive care.

Timeframe: 20 months / October 2020 - May 2022
Funding: $30,000.00

Title: Beyond Pink - A Community Engagement Project by Pink Sari Inc.
Recipient: Pink Sari Inc.

The main focus of this project will be the primary carers of cancer patients, cancer patients, those in remission and survivors. The project will also include secondary carers such as family members/friends who provide ongoing care, support and assistance to the individual as defined by the Carers Act 2010. The project will engage this target group via information-support workshops and other innovative strategies through which they will be linked with support services, wellbeing activities like yoga, meditation, art, music and dance therapies, and day workshops aligned with COVID-19 safety requirements. Training will be provided to volunteers wishing to offer their support.

Timeframe: 15 months / October 2020 - December 2021
Funding: $25,000.00

Title: Breast reconstruction decision aid: Improving the quality of decision-making for Arabic women with breast cancer
Recipient: South Western Sydney Local Health District

About half of women with breast cancer will have removal of their breast (mastectomy) as treatment. Mastectomy can cause women to have a negative view of their body image and sexual function. Breast reconstruction after mastectomy, however, has been shown to improve a woman's psychological satisfaction, self-esteem and sense of well-being. Given the many options available for breast reconstruction with different risks, the decision is very much based on the woman’s values and preferences. Having information about breast reconstruction and the benefits and risks available to the woman is therefore critical in helping her make the best decision for her. This project aims to develop a breast reconstruction infographic, as well as develop and evaluate an Arabic breast reconstruction decision aid.

Timeframe: 24 months / October 2020 - September 2022
Funding: $30,000.00

Title: On Demand for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Cancer Survivors: A 6-week online Exercise and Education Program
Recipient: Sydney Local Health District (SLHD)

This project proposes a 6-week, pre-recorded and language-subtitled Video-On-Demand package program, targeted initially towards Mandarin-speaking cancer survivors and their carers. It will include an exercise program delivered by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and education sessions delivered by members of our multidisciplinary Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre (SCSC) team. Team members have extensive experience in cancer care, as well as delivery of livestreamed webinar content. Content of the program will be proactively tailored to specific needs of cancer survivors and geared to empower them with skills in self-management. All content will be made available on SLHD webpages and be designed to link to relevant existing resources.
 

Note: The lead recipient is the Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre (SCSC), a not-for-profit public health service based at Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney Local Health District.

Timeframe: 9 months / October 2020 - June 2021
Funding: $30,000.00

Priority 2 – Bowel Cancer Screening - Aboriginal Community Education
Priority 3 –Bowel Cancer Screening - Multicultural Community Education
Priority 4 – Building on Innovations in Cancer Care
Priority 5 – Investigating Clinical Variation and Addressing Unwarranted Clinical Variation
Priority 6 – Improving the Experiences of People with Cancer in Multicultural Communities
 

Priority 2 – Bowel Cancer Screening - Aboriginal Community Education 

Title: To increase participation rates in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program among Aboriginal communities
Recipient: Sydney Local Health District

The project is designed to increase understanding of and capability around bowel cancer screening amongst Aboriginal Health Workers in the Sydney Local Health District region (including local health services and community groups). Partnering organisations will then collaborate to deliver Aboriginal bowel cancer screening education workshops to eligible community members in the area.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2020
Funding: $20,000

Title: Bowel Cancer Screening – Aboriginal Community Education
Recipient: Western NSW Primary Health Network

To build capability within Aboriginal Health Services in the Western NSW region through bowel cancer screening education. Western NSW Primary Health Network and local Aboriginal Health Services will also work collaboratively to deliver tailored, culturally-safe bowel cancer screening education to community members though a series of workshops.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2020
Funding: $20,000

Priority 3 – Bowel Cancer Screening: Multicultural Community Education
 

Title: Healthy Bowel Healthy You
Recipient: Liverpool Women’s Health Centre

The project aims to raise awareness about/support participation in bowel cancer screening in women aged 50– to 74 from Arabic cultural backgrounds in the Liverpool and Fairfield local government areas. This will be achieved through a number of bilingual educator run information sessions on bowel health and bowel screening.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2020
Funding: $10,000

Title: Bowel Screening Saves Lives -  Bowel screening community education program for Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Mandarin speaking men and women  
Recipient: South Western Sydney Local Health District

The project will promote bowel cancer screening awareness/participation among four language groups in the South Western Sydney Local Health District region. Trained bilingual community educators will facilitate culturally appropriate and tailored bowel screening education programs through a series of community education sessions.  

Timeframe: July 2019 - December 2020
Funding: $20,000

Title: My Health, My Life - Bowel Cancer Screening, Education & Media Project - Arabic, Greek and Italian communities
Recipient: Sydney Local Health District

The project aims to increase bowel screening participation rates among men and women aged 50– to 74 years of Arabic, Greek and Italian backgrounds living in the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD). Key strategies include workforce development for SLHD-based bilingual community educators and staff/multicultural interagencies and community education through the delivery of a series of in-language education sessions to community members.

Timeframe: July 2019 - December 2020
Funding: $15,000

Title: Screening for Bowel Cancer - A Bowel Cancer Screening educational program for Chinese speaking vulnerable populations within the  Northern Sydney region
Recipient: Sydney North Primary Health Network

The project will deliver a series of Screening for Bowel Cancer workshops for Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) speaking populations aged 50– to 74. These workshops will be delivered by expert health professionals who speak these languages. Health professionals will also be upskilled on bowel screening promotion with the Chinese community through PHN-run primary care targeted workshops.

Timeframe: July 2019 - December 2020
Funding: $20,000

Title: Bowel Cancer Screening Test - Knowing - Thinking - Taking Actions
Recipient: Vietnamese Community in Australia - NSW Chapter Inc.

The project aims to work closely with Vietnamese health professionals, health and welfare organisations and members of Vietnamese Elderly Friendship Associations, social groups and Vietnamese ethnic media to raise awareness about bowel cancer among members of the Vietnamese Community in NSW and encourage their participation in National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Activities will include six in-language Community Education Sessions organised in Fairfield and Bankstown.

Timeframe: July 2019 - December 2020
Funding: $10,000

Priority 4 – Building on Innovations in Cancer Care
 

Title: Management of Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship on the Central Coast
Recipient: Central Coast LHD

The project will address the management needs of Central Coast residents who are survivors of head and neck cancer by formalising post treatment care pathways through electronic documentation - accessible to all relevant providers.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $61,475

Title: ‘Don’t Forget Us’: Establishing access and eliminating barriers for children surviving brain cancer and leukaemia at-risk of long-term communication/hearing/ swallowing disorders
Recipient: Sydney Children's Hospital Network

This project will establish access to clinical care pathways children surviving brain tumour or leukaemia by developing educational multimedia resources for survivors and families from across CALD backgrounds in the form of accessible information about risk factors, early intervention, progression over time, and appropriate support/referral services.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $120,000

Title: Integrated Liver Toolkit and education program for the management of liver cancer in primary care
Recipient: Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network

CESPHN will develop and implement a "Liver Toolkit" consisting of three electronic patient management dashboards for primary liver cancer, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The "Liver Toolkit' will assist general practices systematically manage patients with primary liver cancer and the two leading causes of primary liver cancer. Additionally, specialist outreach nurses will upskill primary care providers in the best-practice management of the above-mentioned target conditions.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $120,000

Priority 5 – Investigating Clinical Variation and Addressing Unwarranted Clinical Variation

Title: Investigating clinical variation and addressing unwarranted clinical variation- rectal cancer and neo adjuvant treatment patterns
Recipient: Central Coast Local Health District

The project will aim to investigate the proportion of rectal cancer patients who are referred for consideration of neo adjuvant therapy within the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD), review current practice guidelines and the role of the colo-rectal Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meeting in the management of rectal cancer.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2020
Funding: $58,475

Title: Evaluation of ISLHD’s lung cancer HealthPathways: Quantifying Care Against the Optimal Care Pathway (OCP) for People with Lung Cancer
Recipient: Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District

To evaluate the impact of Illawarra Shoalhaven’s lung cancer HealthPathway implementation by mapping actual patient care against the Optimal Care Pathway for People with Lung Cancer before and after pathway implementation.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $100,000

Title: Unwarranted clinical variation is a pain in the rectal cancer derrière
Recipient: Northern Sydney Local Health District

This project aims to identify and respond to clinical variation and unwarranted clinical variation in rectal cancer care in light of the latest NSLHD Reporting for Better Cancer Outcomes Performance Report (RBCO) 2018, which identified some hospitals in the NSLHD are performing below the minimum annual caseload. Strategies will be developed to understand that variation; develop processes for continuous quality improvement to ensure rectal cancer service delivery meets benchmark standards within the NSLHD; and to develop processes to prevent unwarranted variation.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $100,000

Title: Investigating and addressing clinical variation in rectal cancer care
Recipient: Sydney Local Health District

This project will further investigate system-, clinician- and patient-related reasons to better understand the persistent and substantial variation in clinical practice for people with rectal cancer in New South Wales. It will also develop and evaluate an innovative approach to performance feedback using composite clinical indicators that could overcome some of the perceived limitations of feedback on individual indicators, thereby identifying a novel strategy for system improvement.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $100,000

Title: Embedding Research and Evidence in Cancer Healthcare - Investigating and addressing clinical variation in lung cancer using the EnRICH dataset 
Recipient: Sydney Local Health District

This project will investigate clinical variation in the treatment of patients with lung cancer, both within and between institutions, using existing data collected through the Sydney Catalyst EnRICH Program. Currently, the EnRICH dataset includes comprehensive patient, diagnostic, treatment and outcome data (including patient reported outcomes) for more than 500 consecutive patients treated in metropolitan and regional hospitals across three Local Health Districts. By mid– to 2020, the EnRICH dataset will include data for more than 1000 patients. Where unwarranted clinical variation is identified, this project will develop and implement rapid quality improvement interventions, and evaluate their effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility for scale-up.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $100,000

Title: Unwarranted variation in bladder cancer care and development of processes to meet key quality indicators
Recipient: Western Sydney Local Health District

This project will develop key quality indicators in the management of bladder cancer based on international guidelines such as EAU (Europe) and NCCN (USA). It will then review variations in the care of bladder cancer at all stages and identify key quality indicators that have not been met. It will also then implement strategies to address areas of variation and improve the number of quality indicators that are met.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $100,000

Priority 6 – Improving the experiences of people with cancer in multicultural communities 
 

Title: Diversity in Cancer Care
Recipient: Metro Assist

The project seeks to improve cancer outcomes for people of CALD background by addressing equity issues around access to information, and engagement with primary care sector by improving General Practitioner’s role in their cancer care. The project will focus on Arabic and Chinese communities.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $69,465

Title: Redressing equity in healthcare: Utilising patient reported outcomes to support Chinese and Vietnamese patients to self-manage their cancer related challenges.
Recipient: South Western Sydney Local Health District

This project will address current gaps in care (accessing resources in their own language, communication barriers with the treating team, and lacking familiarity with the Australian health system) for Chinese and Vietnamese patients affected by cancer at Bankstown Hospital, by routinely screening patient reported outcomes and providing them with self-management resources in their preferred languages. It will also develop and make available an online clearinghouse including a wide range of self-management resources that can be used more broadly throughout Australia and internationally through our partnering organisations.

Timeframe: July 2019 - June 2021
Funding: $120,000

Priority 1 – Aboriginal Community Engagement
Priority 2 – Bowel Cancer Screening: Improving access to public colonoscopy services within NSW Local Health Districts
Priority 3 –Bowel Cancer Screening - Multicultural Community Engagement
Priority 4 – Building on Innovations in Cancer Care
Priority 5 – Cervical Screening Program
Priority 6 – Building on Innovations in Cancer Care
Priority 7 – Investigating clinical variation and addressing unwarranted clinical variation
Priority 8 – Tobacco Control: Social marketing grants

Priority 1 – Aboriginal Community Engagement
 

Title: Bridging the gap with culturally appropriate approaches for cancer prevention and control among the Aboriginal community
Recipient: Hunter New England LHD

To bridge the gap by adopting culturally appropriate approaches for cancer prevention and control among the Aboriginal community.

Timeframe: July 2018 – March 2020
Funding: $120,000

Title: Engagement of Elders and Aboriginal Community in Cancer Services for MNCLHD
Recipient: Mid North Coast LHD/Mid North Coast CI

Introduce a "Health & Wellness Engagement program" for Aboriginal people - specifically targeting those lifestyle issues which lead to the "higher than non-Aboriginal rates" of cancer diagnoses of Head & Neck, Lung and Bowel cancer amongst the Aboriginal community of MNCLHD.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $86,680

Title: Increasing cancer screening for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people on the North Coast
Recipient: North Coast PHN with Northern LHD, Mid North Coast LHD, North Coast Aboriginal Medical Services

To improve cancer screening participation rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people accessing Aboriginal Medical Services on the North Coast

Timeframe: July 2018 – December 2020
Funding: $119,905

Title: Yadhaba - Engaging our Aboriginal Community through a well-being approach
Recipient: Yerin Aboriginal Health Service

A community-centred project promoting well-being, focussing on health literacy, augmenting partnerships, community education and prevention, increasing access to services, and support for Aboriginal people with cancer

Timeframe: July 2018 – June 2020
Funding: $120,000

Title: Shoalhaven Aboriginal Cancer Awareness and Screening Engagement Project
Recipient: Waminda

Work in partnership with: Aboriginal people who have overcome cancer; community champions, artists, and health professionals from Waminda, South Coast Aboriginal Medical Service and Illawarra Shoalhaven Area Health Service to develop and deliver local and culturally relevant educational workshops and resources in addition to clear referral cancer pathways to the local community through community engagement.

Timeframe: July 2018 – December 2019
Funding: $120,000

Priority 2 – Bowel Cancer Screening: Improving access to public colonoscopy services within NSW Local Health Districts
 

Title: Fast track and direct access colonoscopy for FOBT+ and clinical priority category 1 patients
Recipient: St Vincent's Health Network: St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst

Overhaul the model of delivery of colonoscopy services at St Vincent's HN to allow more timely direct access colonoscopy and fast track colonoscopy utilising central role of colonoscopy nurse co-ordinator in triage and co-ordination of colonoscopists working as a collective group rather than as silo operators.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $170,000

Title: Virtual clinics for rapid assessment and access to endoscopy for patients with positive faecal occult blood test
Recipient: South Eastern Sydney LHD: St George Hospital

The virtual model aims for rapid outpatient assessment and access to endoscopy at a timely manner and in accordance with national guidelines for cancer screening. To allow rapid post colonoscopies follow-up for those who underwent endoscopic polyp resections (polypectomy), to discuss results and book follow-up colonoscopy.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2019
Funding: $90,000

Priority 3 – Bowel Cancer Screening: Multicultural Community Engagement
 

Title: Be Bowel Cancer Smart: Increasing awareness of bowel cancer screening in Arabic-speaking refugees and migrants in south western Sydney
Recipient: NSW Refugee Health Service

This project aims to increase awareness of bowel cancer screening among Arabic speaking refugees by delivering community based education sessions, increase capacity of Arabic speaking staff, to document and identify ways to address barriers.

Timeframe: July 2018 – June 2019
Funding: $10,000

Title: Bowel Cancer Screening – Together We Can Do It Better
Recipient: Vietnamese Community in Australia: NSW Chapter Inc

The project aims to raise awareness about Bowel Cancer amongst members of the Vietnamese Community in Canterbury Bankstown and Fairfield LGAs and to increase their participation in Bowel Cancer Screening Program through a range of culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies.

Timeframe: July 2018 – June 2019
Funding: $10,000

Title: Knowledge is Power: Increasing participation of the Chinese community in bowel screening
Recipient: Sydney Local Health District

The project aims to increase participation in bowel screening of Chinese community (50– to 74 years) in the Central and Eastern Sydney PHN area.

Timeframe: July 2018 – June 2019
Funding: $10,000

Title: Enhanced participation in Bowel Cancer Screening Program by Korean Australian Community in NSW
Recipient: Korean Australian Medical Society (KAMS)

This project aims to improve participation in BSCP by Korean immigrants, male and female, aged between 50 and 74 (target age range for BSCP) in order to improve detection rate of pre-cancerous colorectal polyps and prevent progression to CRC and to diagnose asymptomatic CRC at an earlier stage with improved prognosis.

Timeframe: July 2018 – June 2019
Funding: $10,000

Title: Adding South Asian Voices to Bowel Screening Awareness
Recipient: Pink Sari Inc

The project aims to engage CALD communities of Indian and Sri Lankan origin, in raising their awareness and knowledge about the incidence of bowel cancer and the importance of undergoing screening. Our target age group would be 45– to 74 years of age.

Timeframe: July 2018 – June 2019
Funding: $10,000

Priority 4 – Building on Innovations in Cancer Care
 

Title: Psycho Oncology Clinical Pathways – a stepped care model.
Recipient: Central Coast LHD

Implement a clinical care pathway for patients referred to psycho-oncology service that is transparent, accessible and individualised, utilising the Oncology Medical Information System (OMIS) to ensure service wide engagement in psycho-oncology process

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2019
Funding: $62,885.13

Title: MDC for communication and swallowing
Recipient: Sydney Children's Hospital Network

A systematic approach to managing communication disorders following childhood brain cancer and leukaemia, resulting in improvement in equality of care and provision of improves and more equitable treatment outcomes for these children, compares with non-systematic approaches.

Timeframe: July 2019 – September 2020
Funding: $120,000

Title: Automated ‘opt-out’ interactive voice response technology: an innovative approach to optimising smoking cessation interventions and referral pathways for cancer patients.
Recipient: Sydney LHD

To build and pilot a software program that can be integrated in NSW Health eMR systems. It will improve identification and recording of smoking status, the delivery of brief interventions and referral to support services.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $120,000

Title: Surveillance and Follow Up: An extension of the Direct Access Colonoscopy Clinic (DACC) in Broken Hill
Recipient: Far West LHD

To build on the DACC clinic processes for positive FOBT to include colonoscopy follow-up and surveillance patients using an innovative nurse-led clinic adapted for context.

Timeframe: July 2018 – March 2020
Funding: $120,000

Title: Introducing a digitised Tumour Program maturity matrix aligned with advanced database management and performance monitoring.
Recipient: Western Sydney LHD

To develop a user friendly, educational and well-accepted electronic performance matrix; to ensure data collection is embedded within Tumour Programs and enhanced through advanced features supporting clinical practice and research; and to continue to monitor performance through the matrix and survey.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2019
Funding: $120,000

Title: Optimal Care Pathways for Hepatocellular and Colorectal Cancer
Recipient: Western Sydney LHD

To expand on previous work to develop optimal care pathways to reduce unnecessary variations in care across the service

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2018
Funding: $120,000

Title: Sharing follow-up care for patients with colorectal cancer
Recipient: South Eastern Sydney LHD

To improve communication and coordination of follow-up care between specialists and GPs for colorectal cancer patients after definitive treatment

Timeframe: July 2018 – November 2019
Funding: $120,000

Title: MDT meetings - optimising information in and automating information out
Recipient: Northern Sydney LHD

1. To investigate optimal timing for MDT related information at the NSLHD
2. To explore the minimum datasets for MDTs for clinical and reporting purposes
3. To automate collection and dissemination of MDT information via OMIS

Timeframe: July 2018 – December 2019
Funding: $85,360

Title: Localisation of OCP for CRC
Recipient: Northern NSW LHD

To assess, validate and publish an optimal, localised pathway for primary care and specialist service providers to utilise ensuring that patients with bowel cancer are accessing services in a timely manner utilising evidenced based practice.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2019
Funding: $110,000

Title: SWSLHD Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) decisions - evaluating translation into practice
Recipient: South Western Sydney LHD

1. Establish tumour stream governance over quality improvements for MDTS
2. Improve quality and consistency of meeting documentation across MDT groups
3. Evaluate the translation of MDT recommendations into clinical practice

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $119,000

Priority 5 – Cervical Screening Program
 

Title: Increasing the uptake of cervical screening for young women across Western Sydney through an innovative social media campaign
Recipient: Family Planning NSW

Engage young women to co-design a consumer-informed and innovative social media campaign that increases health literacy, addresses barriers, and increases screening rates of young women from SWS and WSLHD

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $199,557

Title: Increasing the uptake of cervical screening for young women across Western Sydney through an innovative social media campaign
Recipient: South Eastern Sydney LHD

To increase participation in cervical screening during the antenatal and postnatal periods, for never screened and under screened Aboriginal women and women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds (project target groups).

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $199,268

Title: Let’s Talk: Cervical Screening Awareness
Recipient: Metro Assist Ltd

The overall aim of the campaign is to raise awareness and participation in cervical screening among women in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in the Inner West and Canterbury Bankstown region.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $200,000

Priority 6 – Improving the experiences of people with cancer in multicultural communities
 

Title: If Language is not Correct, then what-is-said is not what-is-meant': Improving the chemotherapy experience for Chinese-speaking patients through culturally-sensitive communication
Recipient: WSLHD, CPMCC, WH

1. To enhance the chemotherapy experience for Chinese-speaking patients through the development and implementation of innovative and culturally sensitive communication interventions.
2. In partnership with CanRevive Inc. consumer group to develop and deliver an improved health literacy environment for Chinese-speaking patients receiving chemotherapy at the CPMCC.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $120,000

Title: BWHC and FWHC Cancer support project
Recipient: Bankstown Women's Health Centre (BWHC)

To improve the experiences of Women with Cancer in Multicultural communities by providing culturally sensitive, safe and supportive weekly groups, and outreach information and Education for CALD Women, and their carers or family member who have been affected by Cancer in Bankstown and Fairfield areas. To make a contribution in the lives of CALD Women affected by Cancer, increase knowledge of cancer and treatments, address cultural attitudes beliefs and myths, increase screening education, and improve Cancer outcomes.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $120,000

Priority 7 – Investigating clinical variation and addressing unwarranted clinical variation
 

Pilot project to explore the feasibility of a multi-component intervention in increasing the proportion of lung cancer patients in HNELHD who receive best-practice lung cancer care, as recommended in the Optimal Lung Cancer Care Pathway.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $98,518

To deliver an accurate prospectively collected audit of patient demographics, disease characteristics, peri-operative management, surgical technique, intra-operative and post-operative complications, short-term and long-term data as well as a pathology database.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $120,000

To investigate the current clinical variations in care of patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and identify best practice, from diagnosis to treatment.

Timeframe: July 2018 – January 2020
Funding: $53,294.40

To achieve standardized processes, collaboration between health professionals to deliver Anatomical Pathology reporting of the highest accuracy to minimize clinical variation.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2019
Funding: $100,000

1. To quantify the proportion of chemotherapy that is varied during routine clinical practice to establish a state-wide benchmark for variation
2. To identify the reasons for any variations
3. To identify predictors for dose variation

Timeframe: July 2018 – December 2019
Funding: $100,000

To focus on the cost aspect of pancreaticoduodenectomy performed in NSW and explore the differences between surgery outcome and its associated cost. Explore if the proposed volume relationship of Pancreaticoduodenectomy applies beyond mortality and to attempt to further define a best practice model for NSW

Timeframe: July 2018 – March 2020
Funding: $96,817

Priority 8 – Tobacco Control: Social marketing grants
 

The campaign will use a multi-platform, culture-centric, and art based exploration of the impacts of tobacco use on the mind, body and spirits of Aboriginal people.

Timeframe: July 2018 – March 2020
Funding: $400,000

To increase awareness and access support, design and deliver ad campaign, build capacity and conduct periodic evaluation to Arabic, Vietnamese and Chinese speaking communities across the Fairfield local government area.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $212,400

Stop Smoking, Start Living’ aims to combat the effects of intergenerational smoking of Aboriginal families living in Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) through community engagement, training 10% of AHW to provide brief interventions, develop resources, strengthen awareness and participation of smoking cessation services.

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $200,000

This project aims to raise awareness of the harms of water-pipe smoking in the target group: young people (18 to 35 years) of Lebanese background living in St George, Canterbury or Bankstown areas; secondary target groups include family, friends and social networks of primary target group and young people from Arabic speaking backgrounds across metropolitan Sydney

Timeframe: July 2018 – September 2020
Funding: $386,076

In 2017, 38 discreet grant projects were funded in 11 cancer priority areas across two divisions of the Institute; Cancer Screening and Prevention (CSP) and Cancer Services and Information (CSI).  

Priority 1 – Aboriginal Community Engagement
Priority 2 – Bowel Cancer Screening
Priority 3 – Bowel Cancer Screening: Multicultural Community Engagement
Priority 4 – Breast Screening
Priority 5 – Innovation in LHDs
Priority 6 – Optimal Care Pathways
Priority 7 – Cancer Prevention: Healthy Lifestyle
Priority 8 – Cancer Prevention: Sun Protection
Priority 9 – Cervical Screening
Priority 10 – Multicultural Community Engagement
Priority 11 – Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy

Priority 1 – Aboriginal Community Engagement
 

Title: Our health, our cancer journey: building knowledge and capability in Shoalhaven Aboriginal communities
Candidate: Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District

This project will implement several initiatives aimed at improving the capacity of existing local Aboriginal service and community structures to support community members with cancer. This will be achieved through the development of an education program for Aboriginal elders, community leaders and Aboriginal Health Workers on the cancer care journey, building further understanding of cancer prevention and cancer care. 

It will also develop ‘cancer support hubs’ in two key Community Controlled Health Services through the provision of information stalls and formal referral processes. Other important tools will be developed such as a culturally appropriate resource video and ‘cancer journey diaries’ to aid in the delivery of education regarding the cancer diagnosis and treatment journey. 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $105,000

Title: Partnership Building: Cancer Services and Aboriginal Health Services within the Central Coast Local Health District
Candidate: Central Coast Local Health District

This project aims to establish links between Aboriginal Health Service and Cancer Services to achieve three core objectives:

1. Strengthen skills and knowledge of Aboriginal health workers
2. Implement referral pathways for patients identifying as Aboriginal
3. Routinely engage with the Aboriginal community through established health services and the Aboriginal Healthcare workforce, based on the recently initiated ‘Yarning about Cancer’ project.

This will be achieved through the development of an educational overview for healthcare workers within Aboriginal Health Services providing an understanding of the services in Cancer Care and the unique needs of the cancer patient.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $34,396

Priority 2 – Bowel Cancer Screening
 

Title: Improving access to public endoscopy services by targeted waitlist management
Candidate: Hunter New England Local Health District

This project is an audit of endoscopies on the waitlist to quantify referrals which do not meet the NHMRC guidelines or are deemed inappropriate following review. Patient referrals which meet the NHMRC guidelines will receive their colonoscopy earlier, resulting in early diagnosis and increased chances of cancer prevention.

Timeframe: July 2017 – Dec 2018
Funding: $141,000

Title: Orange regional bowel cancer screening program
Candidate: Western New South Wales Local Health District / Orange Base Hospital

This project provides an opportunity to implement and improve colonoscopy standard of practice initiatives which include endoscopy software information, documentation and implementation of strategies to improve diagnosis, reduction of risks of developing bowel cancer and interval bowel cancer as a result of colonoscopy. An important focus is to achieve greater access to colonoscopy by restricting performance of colonoscopy (and all endoscopies) to a dedicated endoscopy list.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $84,700

Priority 3 – Bowel Cancer Screening: Multicultural Community Engagement
 

This project identifies issues and barriers impacting on participation in bowel cancer screening within the Chinese community in the Central & Eastern, Western and South-western Sydney regions, evaluation of the effectiveness of existing resources and recommendations to increase participation. The project is supported by the Australian Chinese Medical Association and South Western Sydney LHD.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $10,000

This project identifies issues and barriers impacting on participation in bowel cancer screening within the Italian community in Sydney with the aim of making recommendations for strategies to increase participation. Activities include a large scale community consultation process, community focus groups, written and online surveys and interviews with doctors. Surveys and other consultative tools are developed in consultation with the Multicultural Health Communication Service.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $10,000

Title: Exploring bowel cancer screening perceptions and practices among CALD men living in the Nepean Blue Mountains
Candidate: Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network

The purpose of this project is to engage with and better understand barriers and facilitators to bowel cancer screening amongst CALD men aged 50– to 74 years living in the Nepean Blue Mountains region and to inform future interventions to encourage screening participation. Via focus groups and interviews, the project explores bowel cancer screening beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and experiences of men from CALD groups in the area as well as GPs and practice staff.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $10,000

Priority 4 – Breast Screening
 

Title: Using interpreters to recruit non-screeners and lapsed screeners through outbound telephone calls
Candidate: Western Sydney Local Health District (Westmead Breast Cancer Institute)

This project uses qualified interpreters to make in-language outbound calls to the following six language groups to engage (non-screeners) and re-engage (lapsed screeners): Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Italian, Maltese and Mandarin. These priority populations all have a biennial screening rate below 70% and have sufficient population numbers to make a screening difference within their community. The project aims to increase participation, engagement, and knowledge of breast screening amongst these population groups.

Timeframe: July 2017 – Dec 2018
Funding: $100,000

This project aims to raise awareness and participation rates in breast screening among CALD communities in the Inner West and Canterbury Bankstown region, utilising Metro Assist’s existing community groups and contacts, including Arabic-speaking, Italian, Bangladeshi, Hindi, Tongan, Samoan, Chinese, Italian and Greek.

Project activities include: direct engagement with women’s groups; creating awareness amongst communities through public service announcements and articles for ethnic media outlets; organised screening days for women; and engaging male partners as potential supporters and influencers of women on screening.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $164,642

This project delivers a multi-faceted, statewide set of activities to increase Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women’s (LBQW) participation in breast screening. Project activities include: an online and social media campaign sharing LBQW personal narratives; three health promotion events in regional NSW and a feature event during the Sydney Mardi Gras Festival; a ‘Team Up’ to the TalkTouchTest initiative to mobilise and incentivise sporting and other groups to raise awareness of screening; and the production of breast cancer screening resources specifically for LBQ women.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $200,000

Title: Implementation of a pop-up amalgamated breast & cervical screening service model for priority groups in rural areas at the BreastScreen Greater Southern fixed sites
Candidate: Murrumbidgee Local Health District

This project utilises an innovative model to increase participation rates in both breast and cervical cancer screening for Aboriginal women and women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in rural areas. The project aims to encourage participation in both breast and cervical cancer screening, by having the two screening services run concurrently, creating greater efficiencies for clients presenting for either screening service.

Project activities include: culturally sensitive monthly pop-up breast and cervical cancer screening clinics held at Albury, Wagga Wagga and Queanbeyan BreastScreen fixed sites; direct engagement with community health care workers, local GPs and community elders; organised screening days for women; and community transport opportunities.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $100,000

Priority 5 – Innovations in Local Health Districts
 

Title: Cancer Specialist Survivorship Assessment Unit - tailored information for targeted shared care
Candidate: South Western Sydney Local Health District

This project will use a quality implementation framework to establish and determine the cost and impact of a centralised specialist survivorship assessment unit that will provide consistent review for patients who have completed their cancer treatment. This involves developing a unique survivorship care plan, which documents the treatment given and patient responses, and provides referrals to supportive wellness programs, psych-social care and identifies ongoing needs for patients.

The management plan will be outlined for GPs to review and administer as necessary. The assessment and management plan will be electronic and built into the oncology information system (OIS). By gaining information from other SWSLHD translational projects, this project aims to bring together the issues identified in each of these projects and formulate a single implementation project that will link with GPs to facilitate shared follow-up care.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $120,000

Title: Tumour Program Strengthening Initiative
Candidate: Western Sydney Local Health District

This project aims to standardise the approach to management of cancer patients through Multidisciplinary Tumour Boards (MTBs) and to overcome current constraints which are inhibiting optimal performance. This initiative will introduce a searchable MTB database with live data entry, improved access and visibility for GPs and embedding of terms of reference into the program.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $120,000

Title: Using EHR data to drive translation of evidence into practice and improve cancer care provided by teams and individuals
Candidate: Western Sydney Local Health District

This project is a cross-LHD initiative investigating the ability to use electronic health record (EHR) data to support Multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) in monitoring the delivery of evidence-based care and engaging in quality improvement. It will support a consistent, clinician-led approach to development of minimum indicator sets that are available for MDTs for benchmarking in tumour streams across LHDs in NSW.

The expected outcomes from this project include: clinician engagement, facilitation of dialogue within MDTs and across LHDs; shifting clinical and organisational attention to areas of variation in care; and enabling clinicians, health care organisations and MDTs to access their performance and benchmark amongst peers.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $119,152

Title: Comprehensive rectal cancer outcomes measurement in a Colorectal Tumour Program
Candidate: Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District

The ISLHD Colorectal Tumour Program will implement a comprehensive suite of outcome measures for rectal cancer, built into a structured rectal cancer treatment and follow-up pathway. This project will deliver a structured pathway and process for rectal cancer follow-up, which aligns with the program’s Model of Care for lower GI cancers. 

The project will also implement a comprehensive set of outcome measures for rectal cancer, including the contemporaneous collection of patient-reported measures, to evaluate the impact disease and treatments have on survival, health and quality of life.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $114,000

Title: Implementation of NSLHD Lung Cancer Pathways Project Recommendations including Setting up Rapid Diagnostic Clinic
Candidate: Northern Sydney Local Health District

This project will implement the recommendations from the Lung Cancer Pathways Project which has concluded. Recommendations included setting up a clinic for people with suspected lung cancer and developing a central electronic referral process, which will be GP friendly and allow auto-population of patient demographics and medical history. 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $120,000

This project will develop guidelines for the management of communication in survivors of childhood brain cancer and leukaemia, and implement evidenced-based recommendations within the SCHN, across NSW and Australia. It will build on innovations within the SCHN to keep children healthy, by implementing comprehensive, cohesive, evidenced-based practice guidelines to manage children who have survived the two most common forms of childhood cancer, including comprehensive long-term surveillance and evidenced-based practice treatment programs.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $119,508

Priority 6 – Optimal Care Pathways
 

Title: Murrumbidgee Cancer Health Pathways
Candidate: Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network

This project will develop diagnostic and referral pathways for people in the Murrumbidgee with lung and bowel cancer through adopting Optimal Care Pathways for Lung and Bowel cancer developed by Cancer Council Victoria. This will develop local pathways to facilitate access to the right care, in the right place at the right time. It will also explore an integrated system of care which will facilitate secure sharing of medical information, secure messaging for referrals and other communication between clinicians and the opportunity to upload to MyHR.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $50,000

Title: SWSLHD Liver Cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) Diagnostic and Referral Pathway Localisation Project
Candidate: South Western Sydney Local Health District

This project will map the existing pathways, via a clinical audit, and compare these to the Victorian Optimal Care Pathways for people with hepatocellular carcinoma.  It will identify variations in practice, and focus on improving any areas that do not meet the recommended diagnostic and treatment timeframes. This will lead to the development of local pathways which will standardise the care pathway for cancer patients across SWSLHD. The pathway will be integrated into the Healthcare pathways tool, and provide promotion of the service and the pathway to GPs in the LHD.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $50,000

Title: Local Diagnostic and referral pathway for Liver Cancer - STG, SESLHD
Candidate: South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

This project will focus on the St George (STG) Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and act as a platform to establish pathways for the Prince of Wales hospital based on the established Hepatocellular Carcinoma MDT and liver clinic at the STG hospital. The engagement and education of key stakeholders in developing a pathway will ensure at risk individuals have access to evidenced-based treatments and preventative life-style choices decreasing their risk of disease and resulting in better health outcomes. This pathway will be developed in conjunction with the Central Eastern Primary Health Network (CESPHN).

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $50,000

Title: Primary Liver Cancer Diagnosis and Referral Pathway Localisation Project
Candidate: North Sydney Local Health District

This project will align current practice with best available evidence and the Optimal Care Pathway for people with hepatocellular carcinoma. The project aims to compare the current state at NSLHD hospitals to the Optimal Pathway for people with primary liver cancer, performing gap analysis to determine how the organisation can make improvements to meet the guideline.

Liaison with North Sydney Primary Health Network and recruitment of GPs for interviews will raise the awareness of the pathway and referral processes through their GP Pathways work. The outcome will be the development of a local process that outlines which diagnostic tests are used and define the e-referral process into the liver clinics, into the MDT meeting and onto other services.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $50,000

Title: Developing localised referral and diagnostic pathways for bowel cancer in Southern NSW LHD
Candidate: Southern NSW Local Health District

SNSWLHD and South Eastern NSW PHN (Coordinare) will form a partnership to develop localised diagnostic and referral pathways for bowel cancer in SNSWLHD. This will be achieved through stakeholder engagement, medical record reviews, conducting stakeholder interviews and surveys and dissemination of cancer pathways which will improve the provision of direct access colonoscopy services in SNSWLHD.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $50,000

Priority 7 – Cancer Prevention: Healthy Lifestyle
 

Marathon Health has partnered with Parkrun Australia to deliver a free healthy lifestyle program in Bathurst and Dubbo using experienced health care professionals as health coaches. Participants, including those currently enrolled in Marathon Health services and at risk of chronic lifestyle-related diseases, are recruited to join ‘Team Marathon Health’.

Activities include individualised and group health education and screening, including general health assessments, exercise screenings, individualised goal setting and nutrition support. Marathon Health is building on existing relationships with key stakeholders such as Cancer Council NSW and Breast Screen NSW to assist with hosting pop-up stalls throughout the year at Parkrun events. 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $50,000

PHLinRF is a targeted, culturally focussed nutrition and education program, with an additional focus on alcohol consumption, designed for refugees with the aim of increasing participants’ knowledge and understanding of modifiable risk factors to prevent cancer. The program is delivered by a Community Dietician using a strengths-based model combined with practical learning methods.

To ensure cultural appropriateness, the program utilises bilingual community educators (BCEs) who are essential for cross-cultural knowledge transfer and community engagement. Barriers to attendance, such as the cost of child care, are included in the project plan to ensure parents’ attendance.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $40,075

This healthy lifestyle program aims to encourage healthy eating and active living among families residing in Coledale, which is identified as a socioeconomically disadvantaged community with a high number of Aboriginal people. Parents recruited into the program are invited to participate in a nutrition education workshop and will receive a subsidised weekly supply of fresh fruit and vegetables over a six month period.

In addition to the nutrition component, parents are offered a six month health initiative program that will provide access to free weekly health education, a supervised physical activity program, and an informal yarning session that is culturally appropriate and will promote community engagement and social connectedness. Based on positive parent role modelling principles, the program aims to improve nutrition and physical activity for the whole family. 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $47,430

Priority 8 – Cancer Prevention: Sun Protection
 

#ThinkSunSafe is a primary prevention program targeting young people aged 12– to 16, involving eight schools in Western NSW using a train-the-trainer and peer education model to increase awareness of skin cancer and the importance of sun protection. The training will engage students in health promotion activities to cement their understanding of the importance of sun protection, and support students to become school leaders in sun protection. Students are encouraged to develop a #ThinkSunSafe strategy to engage their peers to adopt sun protection behaviours, using health promotion activities such as social media and school-wide competitions.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $50,000

This project will develop a toolkit of resources to support NSW primary schools to implement their SunSmart policy hat recommendation. The toolkit will assist schools to meet their duty of care and will cover all aspects of policy implementation. A whole of school approach will encourage and support schools to engage the entire school community in policy implementation, and to achieve staff leadership and role modelling, student engagement and parent buy in.

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $100,000

Priority 9 – Cervical Screening
 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $199,604

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $126,807

Title: Improving access to cervical screening for unscreened women in remote north-west NSW
Candidate: Western NSW Local Health District 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $27,500

Title: Multi-pronged approach promoting cervical cancer awareness and screening practices in general practices with a particular focus on priority populations
Candidate: Western Sydney Local Health District 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $200,000

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2019
Funding: $200,000

Priority 10 – Multicultural Community Engagement
 

Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2018
Funding: $99,936

Priority 11 – Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy
 

Title: Smoke Free Mums To Be
Candidate: Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network