Background
Successful implementation of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) requires coordinated redesign across multiple organisations and clinical disciplines. Regional implementation collaboratives provide an opportunity to bring stakeholders together to identify barriers, develop shared solutions and accelerate implementation; however, there is limited evidence describing their application in lung cancer screening.
Aim
To evaluate whether a multidisciplinary region-wide implementation collaborative could identify shared and health service-specific implementation priorities and inform coordinated region-wide readiness for the NLCSP.
Methods
Western & Central Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (WCMICS) convened a regional Lung Cancer Screening Collaborative involving specialist clinicians, general practitioners, Primary Health Networks, Aboriginal health representatives, program leads and health service administrators. Facilitated discussions explored implementation barriers and opportunities from both discipline-specific and cross-functional perspectives. Findings were synthesised into regional recommendations and a prioritised implementation action plan.
Results
The collaborative identified six key implementation domains influencing regional readiness: primary care engagement, referral pathways, multidisciplinary team capacity, diagnostic infrastructure, data systems, workforce sustainability and equitable access. Participants developed eight regional recommendations and a staged implementation roadmap spanning immediate, medium- and longer-term priorities. The process established shared implementation priorities, strengthened cross-sector relationships and clarified the regional facilitation role of WCMICS in supporting implementation across participating health services.
Conclusion
A structured region-wide implementation collaborative provided an effective mechanism for identifying shared barriers, aligning implementation priorities and supporting coordinated health system readiness. Region-wide coordinated improvement networks play an important role in translating policy and complex health reform into tailored, responsive implementation in local health service providers.