Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Driving system-wide cancer care reform across Victoria, through a statewide cancer service improvement network (146416)

Seleena Sherwell 1 , Karen Botting 2 , Justine Carder 3 , Kerry Davidson 4 , Adam English 5 , Stewart Harper 6 , Tanya Hendry 7 , Virginia Mitsch 8 , Linda Nolte 9 , Kathy Quade 10 , Annie Williams 8
  1. Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service, East Bentleigh, VIC, Australia
  2. Victorian Integrated Cancer Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  3. Paediatric Integrated Cancer Service, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  4. Grampians Integrated Cancer Service, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
  5. Loddon Mallee Integrated Cancer Service, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
  6. Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Service, Traralgon, Victoria, Australia
  7. Barwon South Western Integrated Cancer Service, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
  8. Hume Regional Integrated Cancer Service, Shepparton, Victoria, Australia
  9. North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
  10. Western and Central Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

Background:

The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services (VICS) is a unique statewide cancer service improvement network. Working across 112 Victorian member health services and sector partners, VICS supports implementation of Victorian and national cancer priorities through collaboration, service improvement and system-wide reform.

Aim:
To describe how a mature statewide cancer improvement network drives coordinated, evidence-informed cancer service reform aligned with Australian and Victorian Cancer Plan priorities.

Methods:
VICS operates through nine Integrated Cancer Services using shared governance, clinical leadership, lived experience partnerships and evidence-informed improvement. Key focus areas include multidisciplinary cancer care, supportive care, survivorship, workforce capability and equitable access. Collaboration, data and continuous improvement underpin all activities. For example, the VICS Optimal Care Summits are a novel statewide initiative that uses qualitative and quantitative cancer data, lived experience insights and multidisciplinary consultation to identify unwarranted variation and drive quality improvement using rigorous project methodology.

Results:
Between 2024-2026, VICS supported delivery within the majority of the 23 actions of the Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-2028. Initiatives standardised care pathways, strengthened workforce capability and improved outcomes across 11 priority populations.

Our work includes Statewide Optimal Care Summits that generated improvement initiatives including six regional projects to improve timely access to colonoscopy after a positive bowel screening test.

VICS also assessed multidisciplinary team meeting practices across Victoria, working with clinicians and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, safety and patient outcomes.

In addition, 14 health services embedded cancer survivorship care into routine practice, strengthening statewide capability and continuity of care.

Conclusion:
VICS demonstrates how a statewide cancer improvement network can translate policy into measurable service reform through collaboration,  lived experience partnerships and data-driven improvement. The network strengthens equity, access, coordination and quality while building capability to address future cancer challenges.