News

• SMICS Supportive Care Strategic Plan has been finalised
• The Supportive Cancer Care Victoria (SCCV) group has released the revised draft Professional Competency Framework for the provision of supportive care across Victoria. Incorporating feedback from SCCV workshops, online surveys and discussions with ICS representatives and various cancer services, the Framework is now available for a final round of comments and feedback. CLICK HERE to be directed to their website. Feedback is welcomed from all our health service staff and members who are involved in the provision of supportive care. For further details, contact Bernadette McCormack.

Victoria's Cancer Action Plan 2008-2011

There are two key VCAP targets relating to supportive care:

• by 2012, we will provide evidence of training of the cancer workforce in supportive care processes and survivorship awareness
• by 2012, we will aim to document supportive care screening for 50 per cent of newly diagnosed cancer patients

Department of Health policy

In March 2009 the Department of Health released a policy document: Providing optimal cancer care: supportive care policy for Victoria. Four strategic directions are defined in the policy:

• identifying the supportive care needs of people affected by cancer
• capacity building for optimal supportive care
• implementing supportive care screening into routine practice
• addressing supportive care needs - referral and linkage

The below image gives an overview of how supportive care needs should be addressed:

Supportive Cancer Care Victoria

The Unversity of Melbourne has been appointed by the Department of Health to assist the ICS' to develop local approaches to implementing strategies likely to bring about improvements in supportive care outcomes for people affected by cancer. This has included the development of a supportive care workforce competency framework, which will be finalised soon - and will be a useful tool for the ICS' as they prepare their local strategies. For more information, go to the Supportive Cancer Care Victoria website.

Quick links and downloads

• supportive care | SMICS program
• supportive care | Department of Health policy
• supportive care | draft Professional Competency Framework