Methods:
The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services (VICS) Statewide Survivorship Program was established to improve equitable access to high-quality survivorship care by supporting rapid adoption of evidence-based models of care (MoC). A statewide environmental scan informed targeted implementation through a structured grants program. Health services submitted Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in partnership with Integrated Cancer Services (ICS), with projects assessed for feasibility, sustainability, consumer involvement, and evaluation readiness. Implementation is supported through ICS-led facilitation ensuring project management support.
Results:
Forty EOIs were received across all ICS regions, demonstrating strong system-wide engagement, with 14 projects funded across metropolitan and regional services. Funded initiatives targeted key gaps identified in the environmental scan, including expansion of nurse-led and allied health–led survivorship models, including one paediatric nurse-led service, development of digital and consumer-facing resources for adults and adolescents and young adults, and implementation of structured discharge and surveillance pathways.
Early implementation patterns show strong uptake across diverse service settings, enabled by ICS partnerships and local system knowledge. All funded sites completed project planning and implementation milestones within five months of program launch, reflecting high system readiness. Early project stages demonstrate the integration of survivorship care into routine practice, including establishment of referral pathways to community services, improved coordination within health services, and development of data capture mechanisms to monitor activity and project outcomes.
Conclusion:
This program demonstrates that a coordinated, targeted investment model can rapidly translate evidence into practice at scale. Early signals of adoption, readiness, and workflow integration highlight the potential for sustainable system change. Ongoing evaluation of referral activity, patient-reported experience, and service impact will inform future statewide scaling and policy integration of survivorship care.