The Regional Equity Program is part of the Health Equity program. It aims to build workforce capability in health equity by sharing knowledge between researchers, healthcare professionals, regional cancer services, patients and their communities.
The program is one way the VCCC Alliance is bringing its Cancer Equity Framework to life, to ensure all Victorians have access to optimal cancer care.
Why regional equity?
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Victoria - and Australia - and the incidence is rising. While rates of survival have increased for many cancers in Australia, these improvements are not experienced uniformly across Victoria’s population.
- Regional Victorians are 10 per cent more likely to be diagnosed and 14 per cent more likely to die from cancer than those in major cities
- Aboriginal Victorians are twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer and 3.4 times more likely to die from it
- The most socially disadvantaged Victorians are 25 per cent more likely to die from cancer compared to the rest of the population.
Source: Cancer in Victoria 2024, Victorian Cancer Registry, Cancer Council Victoria
The Regional Equity Program is developing and delivering:
- A Regional Equity Community of Practice to enhance interprofessional, multisectoral collaboration
- Regional research workshops and support of equity-focused regional research projects
- Education and training resources for regional and rural researchers and health care professionals
- New partnerships with non-cancer organisations and regional communities.
Get involved
Ways to get involved with the Regional Equity Program include:
Regional Equity Community of Practice
A Regional Equity Community of Practice – RECoP – was established in 2025.
The Community of Practice brings together health professionals, community organisations, researchers and people with lived experience to raise awareness of disparities in regional cancer care in Victoria, connect stakeholders and lay the foundation for collaborative solutions.
If you would like to play a pivotal role in changing outcomes for regional cancer patients for the better, we would love to hear from you.
Express your interest in joining RECoP
Register now
Previous programs
Want to learn more about how VCCC Alliance has partnered with regional cancer organisations to improve cancer care outcomes? Learn about our previous work in this area.
Previous work
Health Equity Hub
Visit the Health Equity Hub on the Centre for Cancer Education for more Regional Equity Resources
Health Equity Hub
