Developing a Cancer Plan for the Northern Territory is a key initiative of the CanNET NT project. Our Department is leading the development of the plan in conjunction with consultants Healthcare Management Advisors (HMA). The Cancer Plan will inform planning and service development over the next ten years. It will take into account both current and projected demographics and service provision requirements.
The Cancer Plan will:
- Actively involve consumers to identify ways in which the cancer journey for patients can be improved.
- Focus on prevention, early detection and management of cancer with the aim of improving access and quality of care in terms of drugs and treatment as close to home as feasible, in order to reduce the burden of disease.
- Be responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in remote communities, incorporating strategies to address current health inequities.
- Support the development of a multidisciplinary team approach to cancer care.
- Develop a cost-effective, sustainable and evidence-based Model of Cancer Care.
- Address workforce capacity issues and identify projected workforce requirements and training needs.
- Support better utilisation of existing data and client information systems.
In the process of developing the plan, HMA conducted wide consultation with non-government, government stakeholders and consumers to gain an understanding of current cancer care and visions for future cancer services. The findings from the consultations were presented at the CanNET Symposium to a broad range of stakeholders, including consumers, for discussion and feedback.
In the next stage of developing the cancer plan, HMA will use cancer-related and population statistics to project demand for cancer services in the Territory to 2018. Symposium discussions and statistical modelling will be used to inform the drafting of the NT Cancer Plan.
Model of Cancer Care
The purpose of the Model of Cancer Care is to guide the way in which the component parts of the cancer network within the Northern Territory link together to provide coordinated services. The component parts include public and private hospitals, community health, primary care providers (GPs), remote health services, Aboriginal health services, screening programmes (such as Breast Screen, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and Well Women's Checks), non-government organisations (such as the Cancer Council), and palliative care services.
