Keeping in touch with colleagues; to learn, network and understand first-hand what’s going on in the world is important to Australian health professionals. This year, I went to just one meeting in Germany before it became clear that travel was ill-advised. Within hours, my forward schedule bore no resemblance to previous years and nor will it for the foreseeable future.
But COVID-19 has not halted information sharing; it has accelerated it on a massive scale. Last week the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) first-ever virtual annual meeting attracted over 61,000 registrations from 140 countries.
Equally exciting is the way in which our community has embraced the Victorian COVID-19 Cancer Network since it began in March. With the support of Department of Health and Human Services Victoria, the VCCC and Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium (MPCCC) mounted a joint initiative in partnership with Cancer Council Victoria to quickly support the cancer workforce and community through the pandemic.
Around 700 cancer health professionals have now subscribed to the digital platform and dozens of activities are underway across the network’s 17 expert groups, with outcomes to date including:
This collegiate sharing – and support for others who may not be as well resourced, is providing a wonderful example of multi-level, multi-disciplinary support across the state and clearly demonstrates the shared experience of aligned groups in a dynamic environment.
We have also been able to program topical expert webinars addressing key areas of interest for the cancer workforce and community. More than 2,000 people have joined in already.
One of the advantages of an online format is the ability it provides to triage questions and concerns. We have been able to address these in real-time or feed them back into relevant expert groups for consideration and response.
From the first days of the pandemic, people with cancer were identified as a vulnerable group and the local response has been quick, specific and well-informed. Though it hasn’t been without challenge. The requirement to move quickly has highlighted opportunities to be more flexible, dispense with outdated practices, and potentially shift to more patient-friendly consultation options. It is likely that better models of home-based care and telehealth expansion will be an outcome of our current challenges.
We will be fortunate to be guided in some of the decision-making by the world-leading Victorian Cancer Registry data. Last week, some of the 37 expert members of the COVID-19 Cancer Taskforce were joined by Professor Sue Evans, Director Victorian Cancer Registry who presented some early indicators of new cancer diagnoses for consideration. I am delighted for us to work closely with Sue and the registry to enable close to real-time data to inform our efforts in cancer control during the pandemic.
Importantly Cancer Council Victoria will also continue to provide an essential bridge between clinical approaches and information for patients - reassuring our community that cancer care remains safe for patients, carers and healthcare workers in the months ahead.
The prospect of the State of Emergency review in the days ahead is a welcome one. We have earned reason for some cautious optimism for how we might slowly go about lifting restrictions in coming weeks and months, and what a post COVID-19 world – and the potential for an ongoing statewide collaboration in cancer control - might look like.
Thank you to all who are caring for and supporting others at this challenging time. I’d like to wish Happy Mother’s Day to all mums this weekend – the new mums, home-schooling mums, those of you who will be working - and those doing all of the above. We appreciate all that you do.
Professor Grant McArthur
Executive Director
Image: Social media campaign features healthcare professionals and community members on the importance of following up cancer treatment.
