Cancer Control Update No 3 May 2007
Publication Date: 30 April 2007
Welcome to this third update from the Cancer Control Council of New
Zealand. The Council is the independent advisory body charged with
making sure the Cancer Control Strategy is turned into action. It is
appointed by the Minister of Health and provides independent advice
directly to him.
In this update:
Reviewing progress of regional cancer networks
New staff join Council secretariat
Organising a conference or meeting?
Colorectal project short listed for innovation award
Next Cancer Control Council meeting
Reviewing progress of regional cancer networks
The Cancer Control Council is carrying out a high level review of
how regional cancer networks are developing as part of its first
monitoring and review report.
The report, which will be presented to the Minister of Health, will focus on how Phase 1 of the Cancer Control Strategy Action Plan (2005-2010) has been implemented. One of the priorities for Phase 1 is to establish regional cancer networks.
The Council is keen to ensure the review serves as a positive
opportunity for networks to learn from one another, identify any issues
or challenges they face and foster a way to collectively resolve these.
It has engaged Ruth Herbert of Trio Consulting to lead this work.
The review will be divided into three phases. The focus of the first
phase, to be completed by the end of May, is a high level 'snapshot' of
what is happening in the four networks. It will include a review of
relevant documentation, a summary of network governance and funding
arrangements and a review of what processes exist for engagement with
the wider cancer control sector.
The second phase, due to start by August, will involve a more in-depth
evaluation of the networks’ establishment and implementation processes.
Interested stakeholders will be invited to share their views with the
evaluators who will work to ensure they receive a representative
cross-section of input.
Finally, based on the findings of the first two phases, the third phase
will set up ongoing monitoring mechanisms for the networks.
If you would like to provide input during the second phase of the networks review please email: office@cancercontrolcouncil.govt.nz. Further details will be provided in the next stakeholder update.
Council welcomes new member
The Cancer Control Council welcomed Dr Guy Naden as a new member at its April meeting. Dr Naden (Ngati Porou, Whakatohea and Te Whānau a Apanui) is chief executive of Tamaki PHO, the largest Māori-led primary health organisation. Dr Naden trained at the Auckland School of Medicine and then worked for the Auckland District Health Board for four years as a junior doctor. Following a year overseas, he moved into rural general practice on the east coast of the North Island and then in the eastern Bay of Plenty. After 12 years as a rural GP, Dr Naden moved back to Auckland and took up clinical directorship positions with Te Kupenga o Hoturoa PHO and Tamaki PHO, eventually becoming chief executive at Tamaki. He is chair of the Māori Coalition of PHOs in Aotearoa and a member of the Primary Health Taskforce. Dr Naden’s appointment, by the Minister of Health, brings the Council’s membership to 10.
New staff join Council secretariat
Two new staff have joined the Cancer Control Council secretariat. Senior analyst Matt Soeberg comes to the Council with a strong background in public health policy and planning. He has just returned from Rome where he was working for the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health in environmental health impact assessment. Matt is now working on the first monitoring and review report of the Cancer Control Strategy and the project to develop a strategic plan for cancer control research in New Zealand. Katie Phillips has joined the secretariat as executive assistant and is the first port of call for any queries to the Council. Katie comes to the Council having worked for the Ministry of Health and within banking and share broking. You can contact Katie on ph (04) 470 0611 or office@cancercontrolcouncil.govt.nz. The Council also farewelled analyst Helen Curran last month, who single-handedly supported the Council in its early days before a secretariat was established.
Organising a conference or meeting?
The Cancer Control Council is developing a new website. One of the features we plan to introduce is an events calendar that will bring together all the conferences, symposia, meetings and other events happening in cancer control. The idea is to make it easier to find out what is going on across the sector and help people organising meetings to avoid clashes with other events. Please let us know what events you have coming up so we can show them on the calendar. Email: office@cancercontrolcouncil.govt.nz.
Colorectal project short listed for innovation award
A project to improve the colorectal cancer service at Waitemata DHB
has been selected as a finalist in this year’s New Zealand Health
Innovation Awards.
The broad aim of the project is to improve the patient journey through
the system. It focuses on improving care co-ordination between primary
and secondary services, developing protocols and guidelines and patient
self-management information, making system improvements and reducing
inequalities.
Waitemata DHB is one of 22 finalists and has been chosen for the
project’s excellence in quality improvement. The winners will be
announced at a gala dinner at the Wellington Town Hall on 10 October.
The awards are a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and ACC.
For more information go to www.healthinnovationawards.co.nz.
Next Cancer Control Council meeting
The Cancer Control Council meets every two months. The next meeting is on 21 June in Wellington.
Questions and answers
View questions and answers on the Cancer Control Council.
