The Allan Labor Government is working to improve the cancer survival rate across Victoria - launching its next innovative plan to boost access to care, treatment and support for all Victorians, after achieving the remarkable goal of saving 10,000 lives by 2025.
Launched today, the Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-2028 is the third to be legislated in Victoria and identifies ways to prevent cancer, increase survival rates, improve people's experience of receiving cancer treatment and deliver better outcomes for Victorians with cancer.
It builds on the foundation and ambitious goals laid in the previous two plans to reduce disparities and, ultimately, alleviate the affects of cancer on our community - supporting more Victorians and their families.
All of the five short-term goals established in the previous plan have been achieved, while Victoria is also on track to achieve its medium-term goal to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat ahead of schedule - thanks to a robust HPV vaccination program and renewal of the cervical screening program.
The new plan is made up of nine medium- and long-term goals that will build on this success.
These include increasing the one and five-year survival rates, halving the proportion of people diagnosed with preventable cancers, boosting the proportion of women who rescreen for breast cancer and increasing the number of new clinical trial enrolments in regional and rural Victoria.
To achieve this, it sets out to strengthen the availability of culturally appropriate services and care for Aboriginal Victorians by working closely with Aboriginal health organisations and building a strong Aboriginal workforce.
It will also increase timely access to screening and diagnostic services by upskilling the existing workforce and creating targeted community campaigns to boost health literacy. The plan also sets out to remove geographical barriers for regional and rural Victorians to boost the number of participants in clinical trials.
More than 550 Victorians had their say on the plan's development and it was also informed by wide consultation with cancer experts across health and community care sector.
Since 2014, the Labor Government has invested more than $400 million to support Victorians, prevent cancer diagnoses and improve survival rates.
This includes $100 million for advanced cancer treatments, like CAR-T cell therapies, $50 million to build the newly opened Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre, and $35 million for the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium.
Investments in the VACCHO are also helping to deliver better outcomes, including the Victorian Aboriginal Cancer Journey Strategy, the Beautiful Shawl project, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Patient Journal.
The Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-2028 is available at health.vic.gov.au/health-strategies/victorian-cancer-plan.
As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
"Victoria has some of the best cancer survival outcomes globally, but we know they're not experienced equally - this new plan will help ensure that every Victorian can get the care they need, where and when they need it."
"Whether it's through increased screening rates, improved participation in clinical research or innovative new treatments - we want a future that is cancer-free, and this plan will help in getting us there."
