In past weeks, we have seen extraordinary efforts by cancer health professionals, seeking to do their utmost to provide care and support for patients. I would like to thank you for your commitment in the face of COVID-19 events, and for your support for people who are undergoing cancer treatment within the greater ripple of a global pandemic.
The Victorian cancer community has really stepped up and come together. Your dedication to not only reducing the spread but supporting others across the state to provide equity of care is to be admired. In particular, the unselfish commitment of our clinical staff is awe-inspiring and something we should all be grateful for.
By now, many of you will be aware of our collaboration with Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium to provide guidance and peer support for the clinical response to COVID-19. An advisory taskforce and network group is now in place to tap into the extensive knowledge held by individual clinicians, departments, institutions and patient advocacy groups across Victoria, nationally and internationally, to curate and share information for health professionals who urgently need this support.
I encourage all health professionals working with patients with cancer to join the 450+ registered members of the Victorian COVID-19 Cancer Network via our website. I believe the connections and collaborations borne of this time may well have a lasting impact on how we manage cancer care in the future.
Our ability to adapt is evident. In the tech-tools space alone, Zoom meetings report an explosion from 10 million users a day in December to over 200 million during the pandemic.
I know that many of you are engaging in more telehealth consultations than you have before. These are providing a crucial link to patients right now, and while not perfect or applicable in all clinical scenarios, they can make a real difference in assisting patients to follow through on their treatment.
Teletrials are a new aspect of telemedicine which aim to improve patient access to clinical trials, especially in the regions, but until recently have been hindered by complex governance requirements.
The VCCC Teletrials Program has been assessing some of the barriers and has been working in collaboration with COSA, Victorian clinical trial units, consumers and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, to produce an operational model with supporting documents to meet Victorian requirements.
Like many organisations; ‘business as usual’, is not quite usual for the VCCC staff team. Our Level 10 offices in Parkville are now housing a well-spaced team of Peter Mac clinical staff. While we are working remotely, I have a feeling some within our own small team are quietly thrilled to be showcasing their important work to their families. Our events program has been reduced and moved online; some of our program milestones have been shifted; while other important work continues accommodating urgent new priorities. Throughout, we are greatly appreciative of the ongoing support of DHHS and the common sense adjustments we have been able to make together.
Pleasingly, as we approach the end of the university academic term, we have 122 students immersed in online learning in the VCCC Master of Cancer Sciences postgraduate program through the University of Melbourne. We are looking forward to welcoming new and continuing students for the next term commencing 20 April.
Best wishes for this small April holiday of hope.
Professor Grant McArthur
Executive Director
