One of the unique features of the VCCC Alliance is the model of distributed leadership. This is a key driver of change across the cancer pathway and a fundamental pillar of our collective impact approach, bringing together key stakeholders to work towards a shared goal: better cancer outcomes for all.
Integrating and unifying leadership, research, education, advocacy, knowledge translation and the involvement of consumers is a defining characteristic of our work and a demonstration of how and why an alliance model achieves more than a single organisation can on its own.
The leaders in this program are charged with harnessing the collective potential to achieve maximum gain. Moreover, success is not solely measured by progress in an individual tumour stream or cross-cutting theme. As a group drawn from across member organisations, disciplines and specialties, they also work collaboratively to contribute to longer term targets such as improved survival rates in poor outcome cancers.
One of the key initiatives in the Distributed Leadership program has been the development of a collaborative Implementation Science in Cancer program. Central to this was the appointment of Associate Professor Stephanie Best as Senior Research Lead, Implementation Science, a joint role across Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the VCCC Alliance. Stephanie is an acknowledged leader and expert in this rapidly growing field driving meaningful practice change in the sector. She will play a critical role in embedding transformational change programs across the VCCC Alliance.
Stephanie’s primary focus is on facilitating a learning health systems approach in cancer care. She is working with members of the Distributed Leadership program, advising and designing implementation science methodologies and strategies for key research projects to support delivery of strategic roadmaps to reduce the research evidence-practice gap. A cross-cutting demonstrator project will be developed and launched in 2023.
Seed funding has been allocated to data projects that have specifically identified evidence to practice gaps. The data projects will demonstrate how the collection and sharing of clinical data has the power to inform and influence practice change.
Data projects currently underway that have been provided seed funding include:
