NSW Oncology Group: successes and opportunities
The NSW Oncology Group (NSWOG) Program was formed in August 2005 and comprises 20 groups, engaging over 700 of the State's leading cancer clinicians, health professionals, researchers, consumers and planners.
Groups are based on cancer type or clinical grouping and
comprise active and interest members to accommodate the varying
level of involvement individuals wish to have in the decisions and
activities of the Group.
There have been approximately 270 meetings in the four years
from the first NSWOG in September 2005 to September 2009.
Purpose
Evaluation of the NSWOG Program was undertaken to examine its
delivery on the objectives defined by the NSW Cancer Plans
- specialised best practice, clinical data, education and
professional development, clinical trials and protocols and
guidelines.
Methods
The strength of the NSWOG Program is the
collective expertise of its members, representing multidisciplinary
collaboration across NSW.
Applied to a clearly defined and mutually beneficial program or
project, this expertise is an invaluable service.
Results
- Nine NSWOGs amended the Victorian Patient Management Frameworks
to reflect the NSW setting.
- Six dataset extensions to the cancer minimum dataset were
developed and two extensions piloted across NSW.
- Seven clinical indicator suits were developed by NSWOG.
- Four NSWOGs supported the development of synoptic pathology
reporting.
- NSWOG reviewed 2 Cancer Council NSW booklets co-branding with
the Cancer Institute NSW.
- Eleven NSWOGs completed priority projects.
- NSWOG attendance in 2007 was 34.3 per cent with 44 per cent of
survey respondents citing "clinical load interfering with
availability" as the primary reason for non-attendance. Following
invitation to non-attendees to change their membership status from
active (attending meetings) to interest (receiving meeting papers
only), 92 per cent accepted the opportunity, increasing the average
attendance in 2008 to 47 per cent.
Member attendance by NSWOG, 2007 and 2008
NSWOG Achievements
| Project |
NSW Oncology Groups |
| Amendment of Victorian Patient Management
Frameworks to NSW setting |
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Haematology Oncology
- Head and Neck
- Lung
- Melanoma
- Neuro-Oncology
- Upper GI
- Urology
|
| Draft additions to the Minimum Dataset (MDS)
Developed |
- Haematology Oncology
- Head and Neck
- Lung
- Upper GI
|
| Piloted dataset extensions |
|
| Clinical Indicator Suites developed |
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Lung
- Lymphoma
- Melanoma
- Upper GI
- Urology
|
| Synoptic Pathology Reporting - Collaborative
Projects |
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Melanoma
- Urology
|
| Co-branded Patient Information Resources with The
Cancer Council NSW |
- Complementary Therapies
- Head and Neck
|
| NSWOG Priority Projects |
- Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma
- Breast
- Cancer Genetics
- Colorectal
- Child and Adolescent (AYA and Survivorship)
- Haematology Oncology
- Head and Neck
- Lung
- Melanoma
- Neuro-Oncology
- Upper GI
- Urology
|
Conclusion
NSWOGs have successfully provided clinical advice to the Cancer
Institute NSW in areas aligned with the terms of reference of the
program and applied their collective knowledge to several concepts
and projects. NSWOG members need to be engaged through action and
progress of issues important to each Group.
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