The purpose of the Lung Tumour Stream is to improve lung cancer care in the Northern region.

The focus of the Lung Tumour Stream is to:

• Improve the patient pathway by addressing issues related to: timely access to diagnosis and treatment, standardising treatment, strengthening multidisciplinary team meetings, and improving care coordination.
• Reduce inequalities by ensuring equal access for equal need
• Provide quality information for patients, whanau and health professionals
• Ensure performance and outcome monitoring at a regional level through improving access to quality data.

In recent months the following progress has been made:

• A Lung Tumour Stream Steering Group is now well established and meet regularly
• Northland District Health Board (NDHB) is now regularly participating in the multidisciplinary team meetings (MDM’s) via videoconference.
• The diagnostic pathway has been improved in several ways: 1) pathologists report sooner and give preliminary results, 2) radiology in NDHB gives priority to CT scan for lung cancer patients and 3) access to Endoscopic Bronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) is improving and is now available at all three Auckland Metro District Health Boards (DHBs)
• The referral process after the thoracic MDM has been improved by changing the Thoracic MDM (TMDM) form.
• More post-operative patients with changed (worsened) staging are being discussed in TMDM.
• Regular quarterly Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reports are provided.
• The Northern Cancer Network has helped DHBs to put ambitious targets for improvement of lung cancer care in their District Annual Plan (DAPs).
• The Northern Cancer Network led the development of national KPI’s for lung cancer.

Latest News

National Lung Cancer Standards Released - August 2011

The National Lung Cancer Working Group has recently published Standards of Service Provision for Lung Cancer Patients in New Zealand.  The standards aim to improve the care of lung cancer patients by setting requirements for optimal care and addressing variations in care across the country.  The standards were produced through a review of international guidance, consultation with key lung cancer sector stakeholders, relevant professional organisations and will be reviewed annually.

You can view or download a copy of the standards here.

Further information is available through the Ministry of Health website: www.health.govt.nz 

 

 

Content updated 13 January 2012