The VCCC Alliance is delighted to announce Albury/Wodonga Health and Bendigo Health as its first Regional Program Partners for the remainder of the Strategic Program Plan 2021-24 (SPP).
The Regional Partnerships project creates formal links between the VCCC Alliance and regional cancer centres with the aim of formalising collaboration and cooperation on joint activities, as well as providing access to programs of work supported by the SPP.
Patients with cancer living in regional and rural Victoria experience several disadvantages including a lower survival rate (65 per cent compared to 69 per cent in metro areas) and barriers to clinical trial access (time, cost and social disruption), compared to patients living in Melbourne.
Associate Professor Craig Underhill, VCCC Alliance Regional Oncology Lead and Clinical Director of Oncology Services at Albury Wodonga Health, said developing relationships and effective systems between metropolitan and regional health services has huge potential.
“This is a great opportunity to overcome the barriers faced by rural and regional patients, so they have equitable access to clinical trials, comparable to their metropolitan counterparts,” A/Prof Underhill said.
“Driving better outcomes in the regions is a priority for the VCCC Alliance, and our partnership will support upskilling of regional cancer workforce and patients’ uptake and opportunity to access a greater number of local clinical trials through participation in the teletrials program.”
As well as benefiting patients in the regions, the Regional Partnerships project has a major focus on capacity building and will provide regional staff with equal access to engage and participate in VCCC Alliance education and training, resources, activities, and opportunities.
This includes the SKILLED Clinical Trial Internship Program, providing a pathway into clinical trials for science graduates; increased access to VCCC Alliance educational content; and discounted access to the forthcoming VCCC Alliance Centre for Cancer Education.
Additionally, each Regional Health Service – on behalf of its regional cancer centre – will be funded to employ a Regional Partnership Officer to support the implementation of the agreements and the following activities:
Boosting participation in cancer clinical trials across rural and regional Victoria will ultimately help optimise cancer care in the regions long-term, as well as increase diversity of participation, enable greater equity, and ensure the continued expansion of clinical trial capacity in Victoria.
Novel trial methodologies such as registry-based trials and teletrials are already driving increased awareness of and access to clinical trials by regional patients, and the Regional Partnership program promises to amplify this further.
By formalising links between regional cancer centres and the VCCC Alliance, we aim to build on this momentum and continue to improve cancer outcomes for all Victorians.
