2023 is shaping up to be a truly formative year for the VCCC Alliance.
Our next strategic plan being developed in 2023 in the setting of strong outputs from our current and previous strategic plans, is poised to add major impact to the Australian and Victorian Cancer Plans. As always, this process will be underpinned by collaboration of all key stakeholders, and I am excited about the possibilities this presents for our ongoing efforts to improve cancer outcomes for all. I look forward to your input throughout the year as the plan is developed.
The upcoming Australian Cancer Plan, due to be launched in April, represents a major coordinated effort to tackle the evolving and increasingly complex challenges in cancer care at a national level. It’s great to see strong support for addressing inequities in cancer care embedded as a core theme in the plan.
We know that certain populations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, culturally and linguistically diverse populations, rural and remote communities, and low-income groups, are disproportionately affected by cancer and face significant barriers to accessing equitable care. The Australian Cancer Plan will work to address these disparities through targeted interventions, community engagement, and the embedding of health equity principles in all aspects of cancer care.
This prioritisation of equity closely aligns with the work we’ve been undertaking at the VCCC Alliance. We know that this, along with consumer involvement, is critical to ensuring our work has meaningful impact and achieves our mission as an alliance.
The fact is, inequities in cancer care are everyone’s problem. For minority groups there is still poor-quality and missing data, invisibility within the system, and a distressing gap in cancer incidence and outcomes. The latest data from the Victorian Cancer Registry continue to demonstrate these inequities, and the numbers are troubling.
Despite the obvious equity challenges posed for our entire sector, many of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, there is a real sense of determination and enthusiasm among the cancer community to unite and take action now.
Our popular Monday Lunch Live series kicked off this week, with over 250 registrants for our World Cancer Day special. The Keynote from Associate Professor Kalinda Griffiths on the importance of high-quality, sovereign Indigenous data to help address the gap in outcomes was challenging and eye-opening, as was the lively and wide-ranging panel discussion that followed. If you missed it, the recorded webinar can be accessed here and I recommend investing an hour in watching it.
I want to pass on my heartfelt congratulations to all those in the healthcare sector who were honoured with awards on January 26, including many who’ve made significant contributions within the cancer community:
Finally, I am thrilled to announce the VCCC Alliance Research Conference 2023, Beyond the Breakthroughs, will be held from 12-13 September. The conference will feature two jam-packed days with an emphasis on implementation, translation and equity in a truly multidisciplinary research event, highlighting the integrated nature of a comprehensive cancer approach.
More details are to follow, but do save the date for this unique conference that aims to unite our cancer community, highlighting and sharing the latest research, knowledge and innovations from international, national and local experts in oncology. I hope to see you there.
Grant McArthur
Executive Director
