New Precision Care Clinic at NSW's Prince of Wales Hospital

A new Precision Care Clinic has been set up at the Prince of Wales Hospital in New South Wales to provide personalised and tailored care to Australians with cancer.

This project is a partnership between UNSW School of Population Health, Prince of Wales Hospital and South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Omico, Cancer Voices NSW, Australian Catholic University, University of Sydney, and Macquarie University.

The initiative is part of a 5-year commitment from the federal government to establish multiple precision care clinics across the country through a $5.8 million grant from the Medical Research Future Fund Rapid Applied Research Translation scheme.

The clinic aims to facilitate rapid adoption of precision medicine research into routine public health care. It takes into consideration long-recognised clinical, lifestyle and environmental factors, strategically matching the right treatment or clinical trial to the right patient.

Federal Minister for Health Mark Butler said, “This innovative cancer clinic will combine genomic research and implementation science to ensure the benefits of precision medicine are effectively translated into improved health outcomes for people with cancer across Australia.”

“In addition to this, this program will also work to ensure that we can adopt this sort of cutting edge treatment to become a routine part of care,” said NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park.

“Clinicians and patients will be converging from across the country at this hub to access this precision care and incorporate it into their treatment plans,” Park said.

Cancer doctors and patients from across Australia will be able to seamlessly incorporate genomic results into care plans. This will allow them to comprehensively consider all current and emerging treatment options and their potential implications, including targeted therapy, clinical trials and cancer risk management.

UNSW’s School of Population Health Scientia Associate Professor Natalie Taylor said, “The initiative is built on the latest clinical evidence and research, with careful consideration of the barriers that patients can face when receiving cancer care. It will be supported by a digital evidence-driven data platform which will enable clinicians to access rapid precision cancer treatment and prevention decision support for their patients.

“Researchers are working closely with doctors and their patients to ensure that their expectations and needs are captured and used to continuously refine the clinic. Designing the clinic together enables the patients to feel like they are contributing and not just a number.”

Director of Cancer and Haematology Services at Prince of Wales Hospital Professor Boon Chua said, “Our patients will now be able to access their precision cancer information, advice and care all in the one place, without having to navigate their way through multiple clinics and specialists.

“The public clinic will provide formal processes that enable specialists in oncology and genetics to make evidence-informed decisions together with the aim of improving patient experiences and health outcomes.”

Image credit: iStock.com/CIPhotos