Current Action
CVSA Cycling Team - 123 riders in the Tour Down Under !! (23 Dec 08)
Cancer Voices SA has registered a team of 123 riders in the Tour Down Under Mutual Community Challenge Ride on the 23 January 2009. Riders will raise our profile and community awareness by carrying the "Cancer Voices SA" team name on their jersey, to help us “raise a voice for those affected by cancer.” About one third of the CVSA riders have experienced cancer themselves. This proportion reflects the incidence of cancer in the community, with 1 in 3 South Australians being diagnosed with cancer. Contact Ashleigh Moore at info@cancervoicessa.org.au
Tour Crusader (13 Dec 08) - see The Advertiser
Looking at you Lance (22 Oct 08) - see Messenger Newspaper
Eleven kids in chemotherapy overdose (4 Dec 08)
Cancer Voices SA responded to the media release from SA Dept of Health, revealing that 11 patients at the Womens and Childrens Hospital received an overdose of chemotherapy drug Etoposide phosphate.
Radiotherapy under dosing incident (July 2008)
The SA Dept of Health revealed that 869 cancer patients received a radiotherapy dose up to 5% less than prescribed during a 2 year period, July 2004-2006.
- Ashleigh Moore on RAH radiation under dosage - ABC Radio
- Hospital radiation bungle widens - ABC Radio 11 August 2008
- More Patients in radiation bungle - ABC Radio 12 August 2008
The independent Delaney Review into the Royal Adelaide Hospital radiotherapy under-dosing incident made 14 recommendations for system changes to address issues identified during the investigation. (Find the report at SA Department of Health Report - see Delaney Review, Sep 2008)
Cancer Voices SA Executive demanded action and raised consumer concerns over the incident at a range of levels including with the media, the Chief Executive of SA Department of Health and Professor Delaney.
The ABC Stateline program presented the ‘Cancer Bungle’ story on 15 August 2008, featuring interviews with Ashleigh Moore and Dept of Health Chief Executive, Dr Tony Sherbon.
Stateline SA, ABC TV - www.youtube.com.au/cancervoicessa
A second independent review was undertaken into the decision by the Royal Adelaide Hospital management, to not notify patients, Central Northern Adelaide Health Service, the Department or Health Minister, when the error was discovered in 2006. The Kowalick Report was released on 25 Nov 08. A further 4 recommendations have been supported by the government, although the report concluded that the response by the hospital's management was "reasonable" based on the information available at the time.
CVSA concerns were reflected in the final reports and recommendations eg. ensuring that all affected patients had been identified, need to address poor management of communication with the patients, and the importance of introducing a Dosimetry Standards Program to regularly, independently check all radiotherapy machines in public and private facilities to raise quality standard systems across the state.
Cancer Voices SA will continue to monitor implementation of report recommendations to ensure they are all implemented in full.
Complementary Therapies and Multi-Disciplinary Care Teams
Cancer Voices SA are seeking the integration of multi-disciplinary care teams (MDCT’s) and complementary therapies into cancer treatment and care pathways
- this work is being facilitated through CVSA members who are the 2 consumer representatives on the State Cancer Clinical Network.
The Chair of Cancer Voices SA is also the Chair of the Complementary Therapies Working Group within the Cancer Clinical Network.
