Australia’s National Blood Cancer Taskforce has launched five new Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) for blood cancer treatment and care, setting the national standard for high-quality cancer care for all Australians impacted by blood cancers. ALLG haematologist members have contributed widely to the development of the new and existing OCPs across blood cancers.

 

About the Optimal Care Pathways

The five new Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) aim to ensure equitable access to the best standard of care and treatment for blood cancer patients across Australia, no matter where they live, and for their specific type of blood cancer. Each OCP is comprised of a complete technical guide for healthcare professionals that aims to reduce variability in treatment and care across the country. The OCPs are accompanied by a quick reference guide and a patient guide to help patients and their families understand the best cancer care for their blood cancer.

These new OCPs join the existing eight blood cancer OCPs, including six that were led and developed by ALLG and the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand (HSANZ) in 2022 and two that were developed by the Cancer Council in 2021. Each OCP was developed by Australia’s leading blood cancer treatment and care experts, including ALLG clinicians and researchers. The development of the OCPs involved extensive consultation to ensure each produced the very best standards in care and has been approved and endorsed by the Federal, State and Territory health departments.

 

What the Five New OCPs Cover

The blood cancers covered in the five new OCPs are as follows:

1. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) – led by Dr Shaun Fleming and Dr Caroline McNamara
2. AL-amyloidosis – led by Dr Fiona Kwok and A/Prof Peter Mollee
3. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) – led by Dr Dejan Radeski and Dr Carrie van der Weyden
4. Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) – led by Prof Steven Lane and A/Prof Kate Burbury
5. Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) – led by Prof Judith Trotman and Dr Nicole Wong Doo

National Blood Cancer Taskforce Co-Chair and Director, Clinical Haematology at the Peter MacCallum Centre/ Royal Melbourne Hospital and ALLG Member, Professor John Seymour said, “These OCPs have been developed through a collaborative, evidence-based process to guide healthcare professionals in providing consistent, effective treatment and support to blood cancer patients, regardless of where they live.”

The OCPs can be downloaded via the Leukaemia Foundation Website  

The National Blood Cancer Action Plan via the Leukaemia Foundation Website

 

ALLG’s Collaboration with the National Blood Cancer Task Force

The ALLG continues supporting and working with the National Blood Cancer Taskforce and recognises the collaborative work of expert health care providers to develop each OCP to the highest standard aiming to deliver the best care possible through the optimal care journey for patients with blood cancer.

Visit ALLG for more information