Tasmanian Cancer Clinical Network

What is the Tasmanian Cancer Clinical Network?

The Tasmanian Cancer Clinical Network (TCCN) is one of the initiatives of Tasmania’s Health Plan, and its establishment has been supported by CanNET. The TCCN will span the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors and provide advice on diverse issues including policy, planning, governance, training of health professionals and service quality.

Why are we developing the Tasmanian Cancer Clinical Network?

The development of the TCCN will provide a valuable platform for service planning, communication, system-wide coordination and improving quality in complex clinical service systems. The Network will enhance collaboration and coordination in the delivery of services across organisational boundaries. There is considerable support for the use of clinical networks as a mechanism to improve patient outcomes, particularly in an environment of limited resources, as evidenced by their growing adoption both in Australia and overseas.

What will the Tasmanian Cancer Clinical Network do?

The Network will be a formal, supported arrangement aimed at:

• Providing a mechanism for the provision of clinical advice, including broad agreement/consensus, on service planning, policy and clinical reform including related priorities and implementation issues;
• Fostering a state-wide view of service planning, policy and clinical reforms;
• Improving information exchange between the Department, between providers, and with consumers;
• Enhancing professional development opportunities, including through increasing leadership opportunities; and
• Providing a forum for the identification, consideration, consensus and promulgation, of evidence based practice standards, protocols and pathways.

Who is the Tasmanian Cancer Clinical Network?

The establishment of a clinical network is a way of linking people together. The establishment of the TCCN calls on all private and public sector health professionals, stakeholders and consumers across the continuum of cancer care to work together to develop a system that is able to achieve equitable access, quality, consistency, coordination, continuity and cost-effectiveness of patient care for all Tasmanians.

Health professionals and consumer groups with involvement and/or interest in the scope of cancer services can potentially be members of the network, with their level of involvement reflecting their clinical responsibilities and interest and the work being undertaken at any point in time by the Network. The TCCN will be led by a Clinical Leader. The Clinical Leader will be supported by a Steering Committee who will assist and provide advice. Formal advisory mechanisms will be established, as will a number of Network Tumour Specific Groups and Network Working Groups.

For further information about the Tasmanian Cancer Clinical Network please contact:

Email: TCCN Policy & Project Officer

Phone: (03) 6233 4811