Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Co-designing a pragmatic, risk-stratified nutrition model of care for people with cancer: integrating patient, carer and nutrition expert perspectives (146015)

Jenelle Loeliger 1 2 3 4 , Anna Ugalde 5 , Judi Porter 2 3 , Nicole Kiss 2 3
  1. Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  2. School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
  3. Deakin Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
  4. Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  5. Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Aims:

Access to evidence-based nutrition care for people with cancer differs markedly across hospitals, in part due to the absence of a health service-level framework to guide the delivery of complex acute care services. This co-design study aimed to develop a risk-stratified nutrition model of care for people with cancer in a hospital setting.

Methods:

Utilising the Double Diamond Framework, this co-design study built on findings from a scoping review and national Delphi study. A series of online co-design workshops were conducted with consumers (people with a lived experience of cancer, including caregivers) and cancer nutrition experts (clinical dietitians, health service leaders, academics). Participants were purposively recruited through registration of interest from the Delphi study, professional networks, and snowballing strategies via other participants. Recruitment considered balancing participant numbers from consumers and experts, as well as diversity in geography, workplace setting and lived cancer experience.

Results:

Twenty-five participants (n=13 consumers, n=12 cancer nutrition experts) took part in three workshops between May and August 2026. Recruitment and diversity targets were achieved. A pragmatic cancer nutrition model of care was iteratively developed comprising three parts: (1) Foundations of Care Framework, (2) Risk-Stratified Care Matrix, (3) Service Scaling and Workforce Guidance. The model provides a system-level approach to improving access to nutrition care through embedding risk-stratification while supporting evidence-based integration of nutrition pathways within hospital services. Key features include foundational care principles, risk-based service access, vital service enablers, and organisational tiers to guide workforce capacity and service scaling.

Conclusions:

Co-designed with people with a lived experience of cancer and cancer nutrition experts, this novel model addresses an important gap in cancer nutrition service delivery. The framework has the potential to support clinical decision-making, service planning, and implementation of best-practice nutrition care within acute hospital settings, while informing policy, workforce development, and future research.