Print this pageInformation for Health Professionals
The Clinician’s Guide to Radiation Oncology
The Faculty of Radiation Oncology at The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists have developed a guide to assist medical practitioners understand the role and use of radiotherapy. The Guide covers each of the common tumour sites, paediatrics, oncological emergencies as well as explaining the common side-effects of radiotherapy and their management The guide can be found here: http://www.ranzcr.edu.au/faculty/about/clinicians_guide.cfm
Review of Ambulatory/outpatient Chemotherapy and Haematology Services in New South Wales (2005)
This review provided information on the services providing ambulatory chemotherapy within NSW including public and private treatment centres. It provided information on the physical location, business activity, human resources, physical infrastructure, business management systems, access to pathology services, access to imaging services, and supply of chemotherapy for chemotherapy units across NSW.
A summary of the findings of the review.
Survey of Ambulatory Chemotherapy Units in NSW (2008)
The primary objective of this survey was to further explore stakeholder feedback regarding the main procedural issues affecting ambulatory chemotherapy delivery in NSW. This survey was commissioned in 2008. Nurse Unit Managers (NUMs) of NSW Ambulatory Chemotherapy Units were surveyed and a set of operational bottlenecks were identified which can affect effective service delivery.
The outcomes of 2008 survey have been used to design a business improvement project for ambulatory chemotherapy units across NSW which is currently in progress. The Ambulatory Chemotherapy Business Improvement Strategy (AC BIS) aims to critically examine and redesign service provision models in ambulatory chemotherapy units across NSW.
For more information on ACBIS please email Rama Machiraju, Project Manager, Models of Care - or ph: 02-8374 5614
Clinical Pathway for the Screening and Referral of Cancer Patients for Psychosocial Support - Pilot Workshops June 2007
The Cancer Institute NSW engaged a consultant to develop a workshop program to pilot the clinical pathway for the screening and referral of cancer patients for psychosocial support. Two workshops, one urban (Liverpool-Macarthur) and one regional (Albury), were held in June 2007 with health care professionals from a wide variety of specialties. The workshops tested the tools developed for the clinical pathway for the screening and referral of cancer patients for psychosocial support. These tools included the “the draft Clinical Pathway”, “Identifying risk factors associated with distress in cancer patients” and the “Distress Thermometer”. The next phase of this project involves implementation and evaluation of the modified pathway.
Radiotherapy Business Process Improvement Program Update
Since May 2006, The Cancer Institute NSW has worked in conjunction with the NSW Health Statewide Services Development Branch and the NSW Public Radiation Oncology Treatment Centres (ROTCs) to improve access to radiotherapy through Radiotherapy Business Improvement Strategy (RT BIS) to review and improve business processes and patient flows.
The project was completed in October 2007. The principle objective of the RT BIS was to provide patients with increased access to radiotherapy treatment through better-coordinated and more cost-effective service delivery.
The RT BIS demonstrated that extra capacity was theoretically available to provide radiation therapy to cancer patients in NSW, given the ongoing utilisation of the process improvement approach applied during the project.
RTBIS poster describing the project, including objectives, methods, results and conclusions.
Patient Support Directories
The Cancer Institute NSW has produced a number of publications designed to assist cancer patients, their families, carers and health professionals. These publications are available here in PDF format for you to download.
- A-Z Directory of Support Groups 2005
| 4.9mb: A list of support groups operating in suburbs, towns and cities throughout New South Wales and the services they offer. | 4.9mb - Accommodation Guide 2005 | 636kb: A directory of accommodation providers near to all the major cancer treatment centres in New South Wales.
- A-Z Directory of Cancer Publications 2005 | 1.5mb: Lists over 200 cancer publications, a summary of each brochure's contents and details of how to obtain them.
Printed versions are available through health care providers and treatment centres throughout the state. You can also receive a copy by contacting the Cancer Institute NSW by phone on 1800 767 197 or by email to information @ cancerinstitute.org.au.
Links
Links to organisations that contain useful information have been provided. These links do not imply any endorsement, support or commercial gain by the Cancer Institute NSW, NSW Health Services or the State of New South Wales. The validity of the contents, while valuable, can not be guaranteed by the Cancer Institute NSW. More information is available in the Cancer Institute NSW Disclaimer.
