Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Co-developing the CALD-PC navigator program for NSW palliative care services (146050)

Rayan Saleh Moussa 1 2 , Jessica Lee 1 3
  1. University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative (PaCCSC), Cancer Symptom Trials (CST) & IMPACCT Trials Coordination Centre (ITCC) , University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Concord Centre for Palliative Care, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Background: Language and cultural discordance between patients and clinicians creates barriers to high-quality end-of-life care. In Australia (2022-23), approximately 3 in 5 palliative care (PC) patients had cancer, with up to 15% from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds1, 2. Patient navigators are highly valued in PC and can reduce hospital admissions while improving quality of life and satisfaction for people with cancer, with effects most significant in racial and ethnic minority populations. This study reports Phase 1 of an implementation program to improve outcomes for Arabic- and Chinese-speaking communities receiving specialist palliative care through a navigator program.

Aim: To co-develop the CALD-PC Navigator Program.

Methods: This Participatory Action Research study engaged purposively recruited consumer, clinician, navigator, academic and manager stakeholders. Two iterative, in-person co-development workshops used open, non-leading questions to elicit input on navigator role scope, training, implementation model and patient resources. Breakout groups facilitated in-depth discussion, with field notes and analytical memos recorded by independent scribes and sessions audio recorded. A thematic analysis approach guided data collection and analysis, supported by additional stakeholder consultation throughout.

Results: Workshops 1 and 2 involved N = 28 and N = 27 participants respectively, including Arabic- and Chinese-speaking advocates with lived experience of PC, PC specialists, allied health professionals, heads of department, multicultural health officers, bi-cultural support workers, interpreters and researchers. Thematic analysis identified key navigator program characteristics, the centrality of trust and relationships and required support structures. Workshop 2 built on these findings, proposing success metrics, in-language resource adaptation and easy-read consent forms to support inclusion.

Conclusion: This study provided foundational, stakeholder-driven insights that directly shaped the CALD-PC Navigator Program and evaluation framework. Findings highlight the importance of trust, cultural responsiveness and accessible resources in supporting patient navigation for CALD communities, informing the design and evaluation of the pilot program.

 

  1. AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2026) Palliative care services in Australia, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 31 July 2026
  2. Roydhouse J, Connolly A, Daveson B, de Graff B, Blanchard M, Currow, D. Palliative care symptoms and problems in a culturally and linguistically diverse population: large retrospective cohort study. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 2023;13:e1228-e1237.