Key messages
- While Victoria has some of the best cancer survival outcomes in the world, inequities still exist in cancer prevention, treatment, supportive care and survival.
- The Victorian cancer plan 2024-28 identifies ways to prevent cancer, increase survival, improve the experience of the cancer treatment and care system, and achieve equitable outcomes for all Victorians with cancer.
The Victorian cancer plan 2024-2028 sets the Victorian Government’s strategic direction for improving cancer outcomes for all Victorians.
It builds on the success of previous cancer plans to address the burden of cancer and identifies ways to prevent cancer, increase survival rates, improve people’s experience of the cancer treatment and care system and deliver more equitable outcomes for Victorians with cancer.
The development of the 2024-2028 cancer plan was informed by:
- Statewide sector and community engagement
- Victorian cancer plan monitoring and evaluation framework 2023 progress report
- Victorian Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2022
- contemporary evidence/literature.
Under the Victorian cancer plan 2024–2028, the Victorian Government will continue to drive progress towards more equitable health outcomes for all Victorians. We want to ensure every Victorian receives the care and support they deserve, regardless of their circumstances.
Key elements
Priorities
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on cancer prevention, screening, treatment, supportive care and research. This led to fewer than expected new cancer diagnoses between 2020 and 2022.
To address the expected additional cancer diagnosis due to this delay, the cancer plan has two immediate priorities:
- Equitable health outcomes for all Victorians
- Improving screening and early detection rates.
Long-term goals include:
- Achieving equitable outcomes for all Victorians.
- Halving the proportion of Victorians diagnosed with potentially preventable cancers.
- Ensuring that Victorians have the best possible experience of the cancer treatment and care system.
- Increasing one and five year survival of Victorians with cancer.
Medium-term goals include:
- Eliminating hepatitis B and C as public health concerns in Victoria.
- Eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem in Victoria (2035).
- Increasing the proportion of women who rescreen for breast cancer within 27 months after the first screen to more than 75%.
- Increasing to 90% the proportion of patients who die from cancer who had received specialist palliative care within 12 months before their death.
- Increasing the overall number of new clinical trial enrolments in rural and regional areas in Victoria by 30%.
Pillars of change
The cancer plan is organised around five pillars of change that reflect the shared system-level priorities across the cancer pathway:
- Pillar 1: Consumers are active partners in their health and wellbeing
- Pillar 2: Empowering Victorians to prevent cancer
- Pillar 3: Optimal access and care across the cancer pathway
- Pillar 4: A workforce that can deliver now and into the future
- Pillar 5: System design and delivery driven by research, data and intelligence.
Each pillar has actions to drive progress towards the goals of the cancer plan. The Victorian Government will work with partners and stakeholders to deliver the actions outlined in the cancer plan.
Previous Victorian Cancer Plans
Reviewed 29 October 2024