Annual reports (2007-08 - Paediatric Integrated Cancer Service

Palliative care coordination and servicesPICS will commence work with the Victorian Paediatric PalliativeCare Program (VPPCP) to enhance access to quality palliativecare services for all children / adolescents with a life-limitingcondition. Scheduled to commence in early 2009, the specificgoal is to develop a business case to improve access to clinicalskills in paediatric palliative care to children / adolescents andtheir families wherever they live in Victoria. The scope for thisproject includes all children / adolescents requiring palliative carewhether this is through a cancer diagnosis, other life-threateningconditions or through disability.Paediatric Surgical Oncology Project (PSOP)The Department of Human Services has agreed to providefunding for an initial scoping exercise to better understand theissues and identify opportunities for improvement. This projectwill be completed by December 2008 and will inform the nextstage of establishing a surgical oncology speciality. The PSOPwill engage stakeholders at SH and RCH to document andimpletment an agreed plan to improve surgical outcomes forchildren suspected of or diagnosed with cancer.Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) ServicesThe CCC and PICS recognises it is currently under-resourced todevelop the BMT service in line with international best practice.As a crucial component of the Children’s Cancer Centre,the BMT service seeks to continue to make a high-qualitycontribution to the ongoing development of the Centre and toimproving children’s cancer outcomes. It is essential that theBMT service meet International accreditation and to do this, arevised model of nursing, allied health and quality systems withinthe unit is required. PICS has agreed to undertake a project in2009 which will develop a business case to improve the level ofservice for children requiring a bone marrow transplant.Occupational Therapy Model of CareA project to develop a best practice service delivery model forOccupational Therapy services for children and adolescents withcancer across PICS services and associated regional servicesites will commence early in 2009. Expected project outcomesinclude the development of a set of principles and / or standardsof practice for paediatric oncology services, identified screeningtools, triggers and mechanisms to facilitate timely referral andliaison and a needs-based approach to occupational therapyservices. In order to achieve this, benchmarking of currentservices against identified best practice will be required, otherstrategies and approaches to strengthen the service systemoverall e.g. professional education and support, informationresources for families, and future research opportunities willbe included.This service model will provide a vision for the future and willprovide the evidence to support the development of businesscases at the PICS sites to access sustainable resources forthe future.Peter Mac Service ReviewPICS has commissioned a review of paediatric services atPeter Mac, scheduled to commence in August 2008. The reviewwill examine the services and standards of care for childrenreferred to Peter Mac and will make recommendations toaddress identified service gaps and key areas for improvement.These recommendations will support the development byPeter Mac of a strategic plan for Paediatric Care and will makesuggestions for improvements to the coordination of care andestablish the level of resources, equipment and facilities neededto provide optimal care to children. Finally, recommendationsfor an education and training program for Peter Mac staff will beincluded to ensure they have the necessary skills and confidenceto care for children.Paediatric Integrated Cancer Service (PICS) Annual Report 2007– 2008|19