Download NTS Sarcoma Working Group TOR FINAL

Terms of Reference of the
National Sarcoma 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
Melanoma
Upper
Gastrointestinal
Sarcoma
Southern Cancer
Network
Gynaecological
Bowel
Date: 31 August 2012
Review:
Purpose
1. Develop national sarcoma service standards. Sarcoma 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 sarcoma 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 Sarcoma 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 sarcoma 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: 31 August 2012
Review:
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 Northern 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 Northern 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 sarcoma stakeholder database will be developed and maintained
by the Working Group secretariat (Northern 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 (see Appendix Two). 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: 31 August 2012
Review:
Appendix One
National Sarcoma Working Group Membership
Name
Specialty
DHB/organisation
Orthopaedic Surgery
Counties Manukau DHB
Mr Gordon Beadel
Orthopaedic Surgery
Canterbury DHB
Dr Mark Coates
Radiology
Canterbury DHB
Dr Kate Gardener
Medical Oncology
Canterbury DHB
Mr Michael Hanlon
Orthopaedic Surgery
Auckland DHB
Dr Cristian Hartopeanu
Radiation Oncology
Waikato DHB
Dr Clinton Pinto
Radiology
Counties Manukau DHB
Dr Anne O’Donnell
Medical Oncology
Capital & Coast DHB
Dr Pennie Symmans
Pathology
Counties Manukau DHB
Cathie Teague
Nursing
Capital & Coast DHB
Dr Mark Winstanley
Paediatric Oncology
Auckland DHB (Starship)
Chair
Mr Michael Flint
Members
Date: 31 August 2012
Review:
Appendix Two
Declaration Form for Candidates on Committees, Boards, Advisory Groups
Name:
Committee / Board / Advisory group: National Sarcoma Working Group
Responsible Manager: Deirdre Maxwell, Northern Cancer Network
To ensure the Ministry of Health can act with integrity and transparency, all members
/ candidates for committees, boards or advisory groups are required to identify and
declare any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest that may impact on their
role.
Declaration
If you are aware of any actual, potential or perceived conflicts you must discuss this
with the relevant Chairperson and / or responsible manager and complete a standard
Ministry of Health Conflict of Interest Declaration in addition to this declaration.
Any breach of the Ministry’s Conflicts of Interest rules and guidelines will be a breach
of your obligations to the Ministry. These can be viewed at
http://www.oag.govt.nz/2007/conflicts-public-entities/docs/oag-conflicts-public-entities.pdf
1
I have read and understand the Ministry of Health Conflicts of Interest
rules and guidelines and related material
Yes/No
2
I have no interests that would potentially impact on my obligations to
the Ministry in the role applied for
Yes/No
3
I will notify the manager of any actual, potential or perceived conflicts
of interest that may arise, or that I become aware of, while I am a
member of the committee, board or advisory group
Yes/No
__________________
Member / Candidate
(name)
Date: 31 August 2012
___________________
(Signature)
_______________
(Date)
Review: