The Australian Government has released the landmark Australian Cancer Plan, which aims to improve prevention, screening, treatment, and management of all cancers for all people in Australia regardless of their background or where they live.
Professor Dorothy Keefe, CEO of Cancer Australia, will announce the Australian Cancer Plan, at the 50th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) in Melbourne.
The Plan has been developed by Cancer Australia, in consultation with the states and territories, First Nations communities, clinicians, researchers, people affected by cancer and support organisations.
The Plan covers all cancer types, across the whole cancer journey, from prevention and early detection to treatment, recovery and end of life care.
A key priority of the Plan is improving outcomes for groups with the poorest cancer experiences, with a particular focus on First Nations people.
Achieving equity for First Nations people is an urgent priority. First Nations people are 14% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and 45% more likely to die from cancer than non-Indigenous people.
In launching the Plan, the Government is pleased to announce two significant partnerships for the delivery of the 2 and 5-year goals of the Plan.
The Government will work with Movember to integrate patient-reported experiences and outcomes into service performance monitoring and Cancer Council Australia to develop a national cancer data framework to improve the accessibility, consistency and comprehensiveness of cancer data.
Cancer Australia has also started working on several actions identified in the Plan. These include setting up an Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network and crafting national frameworks for Optimal Care Pathways and Genomics in Cancer Control.
The Australian Cancer Plan can be found at australiancancerplan.gov.au
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“The burden of cancer is increasing, with more than 164,000 Australians estimated to be diagnosed this year.
“While cancer outcomes in this country are generally among the best in the world, that’s not true for some people, simply because of who they are or where they live.
“Our Australian Cancer Plan responds to patients’ concerns that the health system is hard to navigate and will ensure no one falls through the gaps.
“Preventing cancer, and detecting and treating it earlier, will save heartache and pain for countless individuals and families, and also take pressure off our hospitals and wider health system.
Quotes attributable to Cancer Australia CEO, Professor Dorothy Keefe:
“It is our aim that the Australian Cancer Plan resonates with every person affected by cancer and everyone engaged in the cancer sector in Australia.
“Achieving equity in cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is the most significant ambition for the future of cancer care. This intention is at the heart of Australian Cancer Plan.
“The Australian Cancer Plan will complement the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan recently launched by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
“The Plan is for all cancers, with a focus on addressing disparity of experience and outcome. It covers every step of cancer care from prevention and early detection through to recovery, living with a chronic disease, or end-of-life-care.”
