Media Statement 15 May 2012

NZNO Cancer Nurses Section Committee chair Wendy Thomas

The NZNO Cancer Nurses Section endorses the initiative announced on the 14 May 2012 by Prime Minister John Key and Health Minister Tony Ryall of employing more cancer care coordinators across New Zealand.

This expansion of advanced nursing roles in patients’ journeys will contribute significantly to the delivery of quality cancer care for patients who often have complex needs.  As the joint announcement notes - the new dedicated cancer nurses will act as a single point of contact and assist patients and their families across different parts of the health service. This expands what is already happening in parts of the country and feedback from patients has been fantastic. 

New Zealand has only a handful of specialist nurses in these positions at present. Increasing Cancer Nurse Coordinators will benefit patient care,  as experience in the United Kingdom, Canada and USA and Australia has shown. This will be a win-win situation for everyone involved.  Patients will receive improved quality care and the health system will see a reduction in use of resources. Evaluation of the service will identify the benefits and areas that require improvement.   

ENDS

For background on overseas experience, see report on Frontier Economics research, http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Documents/AboutUs/Commissioners/ClinicalNurseSpecialistsAnEvidenceReview2011.pdf

and

NSW Cancer Institute, cancer services evaluation  2011’

http://www.cancerinstitute.org.au/publications/i/evaluation-of-the-cancer-services-infrastructure-support-program

Genesis Oncology Trust Clinical Fellowship for Cancer Nurses

This Fellowship will be awarded to a nurse who is committed to a clinical career with a major involvement in cancer treatment or care of those affected by cancer.

It is intended for nurses so that they can enhance their practice and expertise through further clinical training and/or research and thus contribute to improved patient outcomes in New Zealand.

The expectation is that at the end of the Fellowship the successful applicant will become established in clinical practice in New Zealand. The duration of the Fellowship is up to two years.

Applications

• Close Friday 5 October 2012
• Proposals will be assessed on a competitive basis by an expert committee and peer reviewed where appropriate
• Applicants will be notified of outcomes in early December 2012.

Forms and advice to applicants can be obtained from www.genesisoncology.org.nz or by emailing douglas.ormrod@genesisenergy.co.nz

International Society for Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC)

ISNCC Newsflash

View the 25 May 2011 ISNCC Newsflash
http://www.isncc.org/resources/newsflash/newsflash05251101.aspx

17th International Conference on Cancer Nursing (ICCN)

Enhancing Patient Safety through Quality Cancer Nursing Practice

Hilton Prague Hotel
Prague
Czech Republic

09-13 September 2012

http://www.isncc.org/conference/17th_ICCN/default.aspx

Landmark Publications!

May 2011

The International Society for Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC) is proud to announce that, as a result of the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) global alliance of organizations, landmark publications were published in May 2011 in The Lancet Oncology and The Breast.

These publications are intended to serve as important medical tools for the international medical community to improve breast health outcomes for medically underserved women.

Global Breast Health Care: Optimizing Delivery in Low- and Middle-resource Countries. A supplement publication of The Breast.
BHGI SUPPLEMENT Global Breast HealthCare Optimizing Delivery Vol 20 2011.pdf

Optimizing Breast Cancer Management in Low and Middle Resource Countries: Executive Summary of the Breast Health Global Initiative Consensus Recommendations 2010, April 1, 2011. The Lancet Oncology.
LINK
(Click through the log on screen to view the article as a Word doc)