Annual reports (2007-08 - Paediatric Integrated Cancer Service

Our partnersThe Royal Children’s HospitalSouthern HealthPeter MacCallum Cancer CentreThe Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH)is a specialist paediatric hospital andprovides a full range of clinical services,tertiary care and health promotionand prevention programs for childrenand adolescents. The hospital is themajor specialist paediatric hospital inVictoria, and also cares for children fromTasmania, southern New South Walesand other states around Australia andoverseas.As the major paediatric hospital inVictoria, RCH provides clinical, academicand advocacy services for children andyoung people throughout Victoria. It isinternationally recognised as a leadingcentre for research and education. TheMurdoch Childrens Research Institute(MCRI) is based at RCH providing abench to bedside process.Southern Health (SH) is Victoria’slargest health service uniquely providingin one organisation, primary, secondaryand tertiary health services. Through anintegrated multidisciplinary team of healthprofessionals, the Children’s Programserves newborn, child and adolescentneeds for the rapidly expandingcommunities south-east of Melbourne.Monash Medical Centre (MMC) in Claytonprovides tertiary paediatric services,including paediatric intensive care, whileDandenong and Casey hospitals providea full range of primary and secondarypaediatric services.The Children’s Cancer Centre atMonash Medical Centre Clayton caresfor 30 per cent of Victoria’s childhoodcancer patients closer to their homes.It incorporates purpose-built treatmentrooms, a child and parent friendly waitingarea, consulting space and family playareas. The centre continues to innovate toimprove care, and is the first facility inthe state to be able to anaesthetisechildren without having to send themto an operating theatre.Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre(Peter Mac) is the only site in Victoriaoffering radiotherapy to children underthe age of 16 years, and is the largestpaediatric radiation centre in Australia.It is a public hospital solely dedicatedto cancer research, treatment and care.Each year the paediatric unit receivesreferrals for 50– 60 new patients andtreats about 70–80 patients. A very smallnumber of children (1– 2 per month) areadmitted to Peter Mac usually for totalbody irradiation in preparation for bonemarrow transplantation.In addition to its paediatric servicePeter Mac hosts the OnTrac@PeterMacprogram. This is a state-wide adolescentand young adults program designedto support teenagers or young adultswith cancer in Victoria wherever theyare treated.6 |Paediatric Integrated Cancer Service (PICS) Annual Report 2007– 2008The Royal Children’s Hospital