Cancer Institute NSW Health Services Innovation Grant Program

The Cancer Institute NSW Health Services Innovation Grant program is designed to foster the development and sharing of innovative models of cancer service redesign. This program aims to harness and build on innovative clinical redesign models from within the public and private sectors of NSW. The objectives of the program are:

strategic development of smarter models of care to produce better patient outcomes.
redesign of clinical practice models to deliver high quality co-ordinated cancer care in a timely manner.
improved outcome measures for cost effective and efficient service delivery of cancer services.
implementation of financially sustainable programs beyond the conclusion of the project.

The Clinical Grants Review Committee, comprising interstate cancer health professionals from varying disciplines, evaluates each application.

The Health Service Innovation Grant program is now into its second year.

Funding June 2007

A total of 24 projects were funded under Round 1 of the Health Service Innovation Grant program. A total of $1.8 million in funding was allocated to the projects.

Funding June 2008

The Institute is proud to announce the following projects as being successful under the Health Services Innovation Grant Program Round 2. A total of $1.02 million has been allocated to the following projects:

1. Aboriginal Health and Cancer Services Working Together
Greater Southern Area Health Service
This project will support Aboriginal people who seek medical treatment for cancer and subsequent psychosocial care.

2. Out on a Limb - Border Partnerships for Lymphoedema Support & Training
Greater Southern Area Health Service, Border Cancer Collaboration (auspiced by Upper Hume Community Health Service) and Charles Sturt University
This project will improve access in the Border Region to Lymphoedema assessment and management; and increase training opportunities in Lymphoedema management.

3. Development and Evaluation of a New Breast Care Nurse Model for Women with Advanced / Metastatic Breast Cancer
The Prince of Wales Cancer Centre, Sydney South Eastern Illawarra Area Health Service
This project will evaluate the potential role and impact of a Specialist Breast Cancer Nurse.

4. Radiotherapy Training Network
University of NSW and Royal Australian New Zealand College of Radiologists
The program aims to develop a training network in Radiation Oncology that will improve the efficiency of training and increase metro and rural links.

5. Volunteer Support for Children and Families Receiving Palliative Care Services at Home
Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care, Children’s Hospital at Westmead
This program aims to evolve the role of current paediatric support volunteers and develop an ongoing training support program.

6. Innovation in Breast Cancer Care - Expanding the Role of the Breast Physician in the Multidisciplinary Team
Royal North Shore Hospital, North Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service
This initiative seeks to optimise the quality of care of breast cancer patients, through the appointment and role development of a Breast Physician within the Multi Disciplinary Team.

7. Coonamble Project
Family Planning NSW
This project will plan, implement and deliver health promotion and clinical training and services related to cervical and breast cancer screening for Aboriginal people in the Coonamble area. The project will be run in partnership with the Coonamble Aboriginal Medical Service and Family Planning NSW.

8. A Rural Oncology Model of Care - Guideline and Protocol Development
Greater Western Area Health Service
The project will strengthen an innovative rural cancer model of care, in the absence of a locally based Medical Oncologist.

9. Fostering Innovation in Palliative Care Distance Education
Cunningham Centre for Palliative Care – St Vincent’s Hospital
This project will initiate an internet and telemedicine based approach to the delivery of ongoing education for rural palliative care nurses in western and south west NSW.

10. Consumer Participation Program
Sydney West Cancer Network, Sydney West Area Health Service
This project aims to increase opportunities for consumers to become involved in service planning.

11. Expansion of QUICA TOUCH
Hunter New England Area Health Service
This program follows on from the previous year and aims to streamline routine screening for pain, psychosocial distress and physical symptoms among oncology outpatients by using: “QUICA –TOUCH” (Quick Individually Customised Assessment using Touchscreens.

12. Integrating Area Clinical Cancer Registry Data into a State and National Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Clinical Information System
Clinical Cancer Registry, Sydney South West Area Health Service
This initiative aims to develop and test a pilot model for a web based, interactive clinical management and information system for bone and soft tissue sarcoma.

The Innovation & Ingenuity in Cancer Services Symposium

The Innovation & Ingenuity in Cancer Services Symposium will provide a platform for Cancer Institute NSW ‘Innovation Grant’ recipients to showcase their findings and insights, and will give cancer service innovators and cancer health providers an excellent opportunity to learn from and share with their peers.

The projects under the Health Services Innovation Grant Program, Rounds 1 and 2 will be presenting at the Symposium