About Us

Vision: The Border Cancer Collaboration model is recognised as providing national leadership & innovation in the way health services are coordinated at a local level, leading to better patient outcomes.

Mission: The Border Cancer Collaboration, through innovation & leadership, works together to provide support for cancer patients, their carers and health professionals in the Albury/Wodonga region.

Key Principles

The patient is the centre and focus of cancer support.

• Access to support is provided regardless of boundaries including but not limited to geographic location, insurance status and choice of provider.
• Cancer support includes addressing medical pathways, psychological, emotional, social and financial issues affecting cancer patients, their families and carers.
• BCC facilitates a multidisciplinary approach to cancer services and provide seamless support throughout the continuum of care.
• BCC supports the continued development of collaborative partnerships between specialists, public and private, community and acute service providers on both sides of the border to support improved patient outcomes and efficient use of limited resources in cancer care.
• BCC supports research into issues in cancer care, particularly those related to supporting patients, carers, families, clinicians and health professionals in regional and rural areas.
• BCC develops partnerships with tertiary treatment centres to support best practice and equal access to services for patients in a rural/regional settings.

Border Cancer Collaboration operates in the regional cross border setting of Albury NSW, Wodonga Victoria and surrounding rural towns. The Albury/ Wodonga Region supports cancer service provision for a population greater than 200,000 residents. In the region there is an average of 1067 new diagnosis of cancer per year with three highest types being Genitourinary, Lower Gastrointestinal and Breast Cancer.

Border Cancer Collaboration supports a population health based approach to supporting service delivery. Border Cancer Collaboration combines public, private & philanthropic funding sources to support a coordinated approach to cancer services in the border region. Funding for the collaboration can often be short term a sustainable integrated funding model will support integrated cancer services in the border region. Border Cancer Collaboration environment includes the workforce development recruitment and retention issues for rural and regional oncology processionals and services.

Border Cancer Collaboration operates in an environment of three systemic strategic directions for cancer services.  The NSW State Cancer Plan, The Victorian Cancer Service Framework and Cancer Australia's national direction for cancer services. BCC is guided by these frameworks and is informed by research from a consumer perspective that supports improved coordination of care in the border region.

Border Cancer Collaboration (BCC) sources funds for cancer support services through both the Victorian and NSW governments and through philanthropic trusts to support the most efficient use of resources for cancer patients in the border region. In addition the Collaboration seeks funding for projects that meet BCC strategic directions. BCC has successfully developed cancer care coordinator roles that incorporate patient support that links and supports service improvement in cancer care coordination for all cancer diagnosis. Local health services in the border region contribute financially to cancer care coordination in addition the contribution from the NSW and Victorian State Cancer Agencies. These positions are supported by Memorandum of Understandings and Service agreements between the auspicing body of Border Cancer Collaboration with each funding source for each position.

Partnerships are also developed and supported by the partners of the collaboration to pursue projects and research that improve the coordination and quality of cancer services and health promotion in the border region.

Border Cancer Collaboration is a joint initiative between Upper Hume Community Health Service, Wodonga Regional Health Service, Greater Southern Area Health Service, Hume Regional Integrated Cancer Services and the McGrath Foundation.

It is supported by The Albury/Wodonga Regional GP network, Border Medical Oncology, local cancer Specialists, Ramsay Health, Murray Valley Radiation Oncology, Mercy Health Service (Albury) and the Border Cancer Support Group.

History

The Border Cancer Care Coordination Project (BCCCP) was an action based research project that piloted a model of coordinated cancer care in the regional and rural environment of Albury/Wodonga.

The project concluded in June 2006 and is now operating as the Border Cancer Collaboration
 

Border Cancer Collaboration Strategic Directions 2007 - 2010.doc