Download Terms of Reference of the

Terms of Reference of the
National Breast Cancer Working Group
Background and context
Timed, effective pathways based on tumour specific quality standards ensure
that:
 patients receive timely and good quality care throughout their cancer journey
 patients receive the same standard of care regardless of where they live
 efficient and sustainable best practice management of specific tumour types
is developed in the New Zealand health system
 a nationally coordinated and consistent approach to service provision for the
tumour type is promoted.
Tumour standards are needed to guide service provision as District Health
Boards (DHBs) work to implement the Faster Cancer Treatment (FCT) wait time
indicators. The primary purpose for developing these indicators is as a
mechanism to inform and drive service improvement for timely access to health
services and ultimately to improve patient outcomes for:
 patients referred with a high suspicion of cancer
 patients diagnosed with cancer.
The Cancer Treatment Advisory Group (CTAG) agreed at its 16 November 2011
meeting that tumour standards and pathways were required to mitigate the risk of
patients receiving poor quality care in order for services to meet the timeliness
measures associated with the FCT indicators.
Tumour specific national standards have already been developed for lung cancer
in the Standards of Service Provision for Lung Cancer Patients in New Zealand,
published in August 2011. The lung cancer standards were developed by a
clinical work group, chaired by a clinical chair. This work group and clinical chair
are supported by a lead regional cancer network (RCN). The RCNs have
demonstrated expertise in facilitating and supporting regional DHBs to
collaborate; and supporting clinical work groups to complete national work with
regional representatives. CTAG noted at its meeting on 16 November 2011 that
the lung cancer standards have already made improvements to service delivery
and clinical practice. It also agreed that this success highlights the importance of
nationally developed tumour standards and pathways, and supports the need to
develop these for other tumour types.
The eight national cancer working groups being established for one year to
develop tumour standards, patient pathways and a service framework to support
the FCT approach are:
Central Cancer
Network

Haematological
Midland Cancer
Network

Breast
Northern
Cancer Network

Head and Neck

Gynaecological

Melanoma
Southern Cancer
Network

Bowel

Upper
Gastrointestinal

Sarcoma
Date: 27 September 2012
Review: July 2013
Purpose
1. Develop national breast cancer service standards. Breast cancer service
standards are needed to guide service provision and promote uniform
standards of service provision across New Zealand as DHBs work to
implement the indicators. This will ensure the development of efficient and
sustainable best practice management of specific tumour types in the New
Zealand health system, and promote a nationally coordinated and consistent
approach to service provision for the tumour type.
2. Develop a national breast cancer patient pathway and service framework.
The patient pathway algorithm describes the journey. The service delivery
framework describes the required infrastructure to achieve the standard.
3. Maintain a focus on achieving equity and Whānau Ora when developing
service standards, patient pathways and service frameworks by ensuring an
alignment with the Reducing Inequalities in Health Framework and its
principles (MOH 2002).
Membership
1. The National Clinical Director of Cancer and the Regional Cancer Network
Clinical Directors have identified the interim chair for the group.
2. The Chair of the National Breast Cancer Working Group (Working Group) will
be confirmed by the members of the Working Group. The Chair will be
appointed for a one year term.
3. Membership of the Working Group will focus on required clinical expertise,
ensuring that professional disciplines, geographical coverage and the
continuum of representatives are included. The following disciplines should be
considered in the membership of the work group:







Chairs of any regional breast cancer working groups, if established
(who can also be one of the specialties listed below)
Radiation Oncologist
 Relevant physicians, surgeons
Clinical Nurse Specialist
 Medical Oncologist
Radiologist
 Pathologist
Primary Health
 Regional Cancer Network Clinical
representative
Director (optional)
Research
 Palliative care
Relevant NGO
 Public Health
representation
4. Ministry of Health (MoH) to be ex-officio
5. Membership of the work group will be for one year (see Appendix One for
details of current membership).
6. To ensure consumers/carers are involved in the process of developing these
standards, each network will utilise its own regional consumer/carer reference
group to provide input into the process.
7. To ensure Māori is involved in the process of developing these standards
each network will utilise its own regional Māori reference group to provide
input into the process.
8. To ensure that an equity focus is applied in a uniform way, a Whānau Ora
Health Impact Assessment will be undertaken against each of the standards
by the Māori Leadership Group/Equity Manager in each network. Networks
will engage with the National Māori Leadership Group through this process.
Date: 27 September 2012
Review: July 2013
Meetings
9. The work group will meet as required by the project timelines either face to
face or by teleconference.
Funding
10. Funding for the Working Group is for 2012/13. Any ongoing provision for the
group is dependant on MoH prioritisation
11. The Working Group is not a fund holding organisation.
Support
12. The Midland Cancer Network has been contracted by the MoH to host this
national work group until 30th June 2013. This contract provides funding for
the Clinical Lead, meeting activities and project support.
13. Travel costs and time will be funded through the representative’s employer for
employees. The Midland Cancer Network has a limited budget to support
travel and appropriate costs for unfunded representatives. Approval will be at
the discretion of the cancer network manager. Any expenditure needs to be
approved before it occurs.
14. A national breast cancer stakeholder database will be developed and
maintained by the Working Group secretariat (Midland Cancer Network).
15. A communications plan will be developed and maintained to ensure that there
is appropriate and timely communication to stakeholders and strong links with
other national and regional tumour stream work groups.
Reporting
16. The Working Group will provide its final drafts to the Cancer Treatment
Advisory Group and via this process to the joint DHB/MoH Cancer
Programme Steering Group.
17. The Working Group will also report back to its various stakeholder groups and
organisations on progress.
Conflicts of Interest
18. Members will comply with the MoH’s Conflicts of Interests Policy; and perform
their functions in good faith, honesty, impartiality, and avoid situations that
may compromise their integrity or otherwise lead to conflicts of interest.
Members will be required to complete the MoH Declaration Form prior to their
first meeting. The MoH will hold the declaration forms.
19. When members believe they have a conflict of interest on a subject which will
prevent them from reaching an impartial decision or undertaking an activity
consistent with the advisory group functions, then they must declare a conflict
of interest or absent themselves from the discussion and/or activity.
20. Members shall make all reasonable endeavours to support the National
Cancer Programme, with the exception of areas where a conflict of interest
has been noted.
Media
21. The Chair will provide the MoH with advance notice of any media statements.
Media statements will be made by the MoH. Interviews are given only by MoH
authorised media spokespeople. The Chair may be asked to brief a
spokesperson on an issue prior to interview.
Date: 27 September 2012
Review: July 2013