(GRICS) Scholarship Program Guidelines 2012/2013

Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Services (GRICS)
Scholarship Program Guidelines 2012/2013
1. Introduction
GRICS Vision
…We will be a leader in the collaborative, innovative and regional coordination of cancer services, to ensure
accessible and excellent care that will improve the experience and treatment outcomes of every person with
cancer across Gippsland…
An ongoing commitment to enhance the training and skill base of the regions cancer care workforce will act as a
key strategic initiative in the implementation of this vision.
The focus for scholarship applications should reflect the priority outcome areas of Victoria’s Cancer Action Plan
2008-2011 (VCAP).
These are:
• multidisciplinary care;
• care coordination and referral pathway;
• supportive care; and
• reducing unwanted variation in practice.
The scholarships may be provided to facilitate professional development activities in:
• cancer improvement priority outcome areas (as outlined above);
• quality improvement including evaluation; and
• workforce development in relevant areas.
2. Scholarships available in 2012/2013 (1 st July 2012 – 30 th June 2013)
To enable this initiative, GRICS is offering scholarships in 2012/2013 to individual professionals or for group
workforce development activities including: attending conferences, undertaking education and training or
participating in mentoring programs with an appropriate health care professional.
Details of the GRICS Scholarship Program for 2012/2013
• Applicants must submit an application addressing the selection criteria set out in Section 3 of this
document.
• Funding for individual professionals can be used for conference registration, training workshops/courses,
travel costs (train travel, airfares) and accommodation (max $200/night). Funding will not be available for
meals, travel via vehicle or parking costs.
• Funding for workforce/team development can only be used for group training / education development
activities and must identify the needs of the group/team and specify the number of people included in
the proposed activity. Funding will not be available for conference attendance as a group.
• Funding for conferences will only be accepted on an individual basis only.
• Funding will not be available for individual membership to a professional body or organisation.
• Applications are welcomed from applicants who have participated in the Scholarship Program in previous
years; however applications will not be accepted to fund the same type of activity eg. If an applicant was
successful in receiving a scholarship to attend a conference, they will not be able to apply to attend a
conference in the next scholarship year. This is also valid for education and/or training.
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• Applicants are limited to submissions up to a value of $3,000.00 for individual professionals or $4,000.00
for group training/education development activities in one financial year.
• Applications for the GRICS Scholarship Program 2012/2013 will be accepted up to COB 31 st March 2013 or
until the total allocation of funding have been expended.
• Funding is available for the financial year 2012/2013 only (all funds must be expended by 30 th June 2013).
• Applicants may apply to fund retrospective activities on the proviso: these activities meet the selection
criteria; were undertaken from 1 st July 2012; and were paid for by the applicant.
• Funding will not be available to the health service for backfill of participant’s positions whilst undertaking
the education activity.
• Successful applicants will be required to provide a reconciliation of funds spent as per application (see
Section 5 of this document).
• At the completion of the funded activity, GRICS will require each successful applicant to complete (in
detail) a GRICS Scholarship Program Evaluation Form. All successful applicants must provide a short
written report (up to 300 words), suitable for the GRICS Newsletter and website, to the GRICS Directorate
within one month of completing their professional development activity, outlining the key lessons
learned. The GRICS Directorate will invite all applicants to attend one group session to discuss the
potential of translating lessons learned into service improvements.
• Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application via mail.
• Applicants need to provide details around the contribution that they and their employer will be making
towards the activity.
• All applicants will be required to organise their own registrations, mentoring arrangements or any other
arrangements associated with the activity, where applicable.
3. Selection criteria
As a condition of funding, GRICS requires individuals and health services, where requested, to actively work
with GRICS towards implementation of service improvement activities in relation to multidisciplinary care and
supportive care targets outlined within VCAP.
Applicants shall be either:
• a health professional (medical, nursing, allied health or administration), currently working for a health
service (hospital, community and primary care) in the GRICS region; or
• a consumer (persons treated for cancer within the GRICS region or their family or significant others).
Requirements
• Health professional applicants require the support of their manager. This includes support in the form of
approval for absence from the workplace and sharing of any additional costs of participation if required.
• All mentoring applications MUST include a letter of support from the mentor.
• Any supporting documentation such as conference overview, course outline or any other information that
will support the application shall be submitted as an attachment to the application.
• All sections of the Application Form must be completed to avoid any delay in the approval process.
The activity:
• shall be cancer related or focused; with clear linkages to cancer service improvement;
• shall be relevant to your current employment position or position within the GRICS region;
• shall demonstrate capacity to extend your own current scope of clinical practice; and
• shall demonstrate building of a particular skill base.
The application will need to demonstrate evidence of the following:
• three key learning objectives from the conference, education or mentoring activity and an overview of
how it relates to cancer care;
• how this learning opportunity will be ‘shared’ within your department / organisation or within the wider
GRICS community; and
• how both the applicant and the applicant’s employer will be contributing to this activity.
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4. Assessment of application
• Applications will be assessed according to the selection criteria.
• Preference will be given to applicants directly involved in GRICS activities (eg: Reference Group members,
multidisciplinary care team members).
• Scholarships will be given to applicants who actively work with GRICS, where requested, towards
implementation of service improvement activities in relation to multidisciplinary care and supportive care
targets outlined within VCAP;
• For conference applications preference will be given to applicants with accepted abstract or poster
presentations.
• Preference will also be given to first time applicants who have met the selection criteria.
• Consideration will be given to those activities that encourage skill development in areas of communication,
consumer advocacy and quality improvement.
• In the event of an over-subscription to the GRICS Scholarship Program preference will be given to those
applicants applying to undertake education/ training courses or mentoring opportunities.
• Kylie Halsall and Louise Cristofaro (GRICS Co Managers) or a nominated GRICS representative may contact the
applicant to obtain further information if required.
• Governance of the GRICS Scholarship Program 2012/2013 will operate in accordance with GRICS Policies and
Procedures. Applicants can contact Kylie Halsall and Louise Cristofaro for further details on telephone
03 5128 0138 or email gricsmanager@lrh.com.au.
• All applicants will be notified by mail of the outcome of their application within two weeks of receipt of their
application.
5. Successful applicants
Successful applicants will be required to:
• actively work with GRICS, where requested, towards implementation of service improvement activities
in relation to multidisciplinary care and supportive care targets outlined within VCAP;
• submit a brief report (no more than 300 words)on the activity, suitable for the GRICS website or
newsletter to the GRICS Directorate within one month of completing the professional development
activity;
• submit a statement of expenses detailing how the scholarship was spent including receipts by no later
than 30 June 2013;
• complete a GRICS Scholarship Program Evaluation Form , to the GRICS Directorate within one month of
completing the professional development activity;
• forward any materials developed as a result of participating in the GRICS Scholarship Program 2012/2013
(materials may include presentations, discussion papers and journal articles); and
• acknowledge participation in the GRICS Scholarship Program on any materials developed.
Please note that payment of the GRICS Scholarship Program 2012/2013 will not occur until after the attendance
of the conference, course/ mentoring session(s). Receipt(s) must be forwarded to the GRICS office before a
cheque can be issued. Please note a delay of up to four weeks may occur from the time the Scholarship Claim
Form has been received by the GRICS office and payment is made. Successful applicants will be advised in writing
of all requirements relating to payment processing for the GRICS Scholarship Program 2012/2013 (letter to
include all documents necessary to support the administration of the payment process).
Submitting an application
Completed application forms can be submitted to GRICS via the following:
GRICS Scholarship
PO Box 424
Traralgon 3844
Or electronically to: ewright@lrh.com.au
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