Best Of Best Poster Oral Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

Improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer through an Optimal Care Pathway (#193)

Jennifer Chynoweth 1 , Meaghan McCambridge 1 , Barbara Daveson 1 , Joanna Coutts 1 , Kathryn Whitfield 2 , Helen Zorbas 1
  1. Cancer Australia, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia
  2. Department of Health and Human Services, Melbourne, Victoria

Aims

To improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through the development and national endorsement of the first population-specific Optimal Care Pathway (OCP) to guide the delivery of consistent, safe, high-quality, culturally appropriate and evidence-based cancer care.

Methods

Cancer Australia formed a partnership with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to address Priority 5 of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Framework (the Framework): to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by cancer receive optimal and culturally appropriate treatment, services, and supportive and palliative care.

Cancer Australia, in collaboration with DHHS:

  • reviewed experiences of care and the Framework’s comprehensive evidence base
  • developed a draft OCP to complement tumour-specific pathways
  • facilitated an Expert Working Group, comprising Indigenous health sector leaders and consumers to refine and validate the draft OCP
  • undertook national public consultation, including with the Indigenous health sector and community, health professionals and professional colleges.

Results

The OCP for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer was endorsed by the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council and the Council of Australian Governments Health Council. Key elements of the OCP to support the delivery of optimal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer include addressing the cultural appropriateness of the healthcare environment; improving cross-cultural communication; relationship building with local community; optimising health literacy; recognition of Men’s and Women’s Business; and the need to use culturally appropriate resources.

Conclusions

The Optimal Care Pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer can be used in conjunction with the tumour-specific optimal care pathways by healthcare professionals and service providers to guide the delivery of consistent, safe, high-quality, culturally appropriate and evidence-based care.