The Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) are frameworks for the delivery of best practice care for people with cancer, according to specific cancer types, such as breast cancer or prostate cancer. They provide guidance for the delivery of optimal cancer care, from prevention through to survivorship or end of life, and are a foundation of the 2023 Australian Cancer Plan.
The Australian Cancer Plan also recognises 10 population groups who are at risk of having poorer cancer outcomes, due to systemic barriers limiting equitable cancer care. To reduce these inequities, the Australian Cancer Plan recommends that additional, dedicated Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) are developed to support an individual from one of these population groups.
“People living in rural and remote areas experience poorer cancer outcomes compared to people living in metropolitan areas”, says Dr Hannah Beks, Research Fellow at Deakin Rural Health and Registered Nurse. However, only OCPs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer and adolescent and young adults with cancer have been developed. “No OCP exists for the priority population of people living in rural and remote areas of Australia” says Dr Beks.
The ECORRA OCP project will develop a new Optimal Care Pathway for people living in rural and remote areas, a priority population recognised in the Australian Cancer Plan.
This new Optimal Care Pathway will address the unique barriers faced by people living outside major cities or regional hubs, ensuring equitable access to high-quality cancer care. The Optimal Care Pathway resources will help rural health services to align with the goals of the 2023 Australian Cancer Plan.
Project details and Working Group membership
This 18-month project, which commenced in September 2024, will follow the recently updated National Optimal Care Pathways Framework and OCP Toolkit. Key elements include:
Literature review
- A literature review was undertaken to inform the development of the new Optimal Care Pathway, focusing on access to optimal cancer care in rural and remote locations.
Working Group
- Whilst based in evidence, the use of a co-design approach is the basis upon which OCPs are developed. The co-design methodology ensures that multidisciplinary health care professionals are represented, and that the voices of persons with the lived experience of cancer are included.
- Health care professionals and persons with the lived experience of cancer were recruited to join a Working Party, whose role it is to develop the content of the Optimal Care Pathway, with structure and guidance provided by a Chairperson, a Deputy Chairperson, and the ECORRA OCP Investigators.
- Working Group members, selected based on geographic and professional diversity and experience within rural and remote cancer care, were appointed in February 2025. Membership included:
- Dr Florian Honeyball (Chair) – Medical Oncologist, Western Cancer Centre, Dubbo Base Hospital
- Carmel O’Kane (Deputy Chair) – Cancer Nurse Practitioner, Grampians Health Horsham
- Catherine Adams – Psycho-Oncologist, GenesisCare, MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research, HMRI, UoN
- Sue Bartlett – Nurse Practitioner, Grampians Health Ballarat
- Carolyn Billington – Nurse, Port Fairy Medical Clinic
- A/Professor Ian Collins – Medical Oncologist, SouthWest Oncology
- Dr Nathalie Davis – Cancer Service Development Project Manager, South West Healthcare & BSWRICS
- Madeline de Groot – Clinical Nurse Consultant, Central West Hospital and Health Service
- Dr Pammie Ellem – Registered Nurse, Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council
- A/Professor Anoop Enjeti – Haemotologist, Calvary Mater Hospital Newcastle, Hunter New England and NSW Health Pathology
- Dr Melissa Hancock – Haemotologist, Queensland Health and Icon Cancer Care
- Catherine Hanns – Social worker, Grampians Health
- Stewart Harper – Program Director, Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Service
- Clare Jennings – Cancer Care Coordinator, QLD Health
- Ali Judge – Chief Radiation Therapist, North West Cancer Centre, Tamworth
- Dr Wei-Sen Lam – Medical Oncologist, WA Country Health Service, South Metro Health Service
- Naomi Lettieri – Hospice Manager, Anam Cara House Colac
- Professor Matthew Links – Medical Oncologist, Alice Springs Hospital and Bond University
- Narelle McPhee – Cancer Research Manager, Bendigo Health
- Louise Moodie – Dietitian, Mackay Hospital
- Dr Louise Nott – Medical Oncologist, Royal Hobart Hospital and Icon Cancer Centre Hobart
- Dr Zulfiquer Otty – Medical Oncologist, Townsville University Hospital
- Kerry Patford – Chief Nurse, McGrath Foundation
- Dr Valerie Quah – General Practitioner, Congress Clinic Alice Springs
- Jade Ralph – Exercise Physiologist, Grampians Health
- Peta Rogers – Lived experience consumer
- Dr Christopher Steer – Medical Oncologist, UNSW, La Trobe University, Border Medical Oncology, Albury Wodonga Health
- Dr Nina Stewart – Radiation Oncologist, Genesis Care Bunbury
- Victoria Turner – Lived experience consumer
- A/Professor Craig Underhill – Medical Oncologist, Border Medical Oncology
- Hayley Vasileff – Cancer Pharmacist, SA Health
- Stuart Willder – Nurse Practitioner, Western District Health Service
- Annie Williams – HRICS Director, Hume Regional Integrate Cancer Service
- Tania ‘Narelle’ Yench – Lived experience consumer
- Dr Tafadzwa Zana – Medical Administration Registrar, South West Hospital and Health service
- Working Group meetings have been professionally facilitated online by the Melbourne Leadership Group.
Resource production
- A new Optimal Care Pathway will include three core resources. These include the full Optimal Care Pathway for People Living in Rural and Remote Areas, a Quick Reference Guide for use by health professionals and services, and a Guide to Best Cancer Care for people affected by cancer.
- In addition, to improve accessibility, these three core resources will be translated into 10 additional languages and an audio-recording will be produced. At the end of the project, a public launch, active promotion, and an evaluation of the impact these resources have on improving cancer care will be undertaken to increase awareness and support uptake, ultimately leading to improved cancer care for rural and remote Australians.
Project Funding
This project was funded by the Commonwealth of Australia represented by the Department of Health and Aged Care.
Partnering organisations
The ECORRA OCP project represents a collaboration between Deakin University and Cancer Council Australia.
By combining Deakin University’s research excellence with the Cancer Council’s extensive expertise and experience in cancer care and its strong reputation within the community, we aim to significantly enhance the lives of rural Australians facing the challenges of cancer.
Activities and Impacts
ECORRA OCP Launches Working Party Recruitment at 2024 COSA Annual Meeting
