Survivorship education

The 4th iteration of the Clinical Placement Program in Cancer Survivorship (CPPiCS), funded by the Victorian Government, aims to improve cancer survivorship care through enhancing the capacity of allied health professionals (AHP) and practice nurses (PN) to deliver cancer survivorship services and information. This will be achieved by the completion of clinical placements at our partner host sites throughout Victoria that provide cancer survivorship care. 

The CPPiCS offers a feasible, transferable model to build health professionals’ knowledge and confidence to deliver quality cancer survivorship care. Placement host sites include acute, subacute and community-based health services. The program purposefully targets 200 AHP and PN as participants, with 40% of participants from regional/rural settings. 

Context of program:  

The program sits under Action area 4.3 of the Victorian Cancer Plan 2020-24 - build workforce knowledge and skills in survivorship care across cancer care systems, specifically: 

• Implement models of shared care and community-based self-management, with a focus on coordination of care across regional clusters 

• Build skills in the allied health workforce to understand cancer specific needs, with a focus on regional Victoria and rehabilitation care

Benefits of the program:  

• Build knowledge and confidence in caring for cancer survivors  

• Network and build professional relationships with other health professionals 

• Enhance links between community and hospital-based professions  

• Enhance cancer patient outcomes  

Program components: 

• 3-5 hours of cancer survivorship education (online) 

• 3-8 hour clinical placement at an acute, rehabilitation or community health service (flexible placements available from November 2022 – April 2024) 

• Access to cancer survivorship education events post-placement   

We are excited to be partnering with 10 Victorian health services as part of this program, including:  

• Austin Health  

• Barwon Health  

• Bendigo Health  

• Echuca Regional Health  

• healthAbility  

• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre  

• Royal Melbourne Hospital  

• Royal Women’s Hospital  

• South West Healthcare and ICON Cancer Centre Warrnambool 

• Victorian Long-Term Follow-up Program at the Royal Children’s Hospital & Monash Children’s Hospital  

The 4th iteration of the Clinical Placement Program in Cancer Survivorship will aim to accommodate 200 participants.  Promotional flyers for participants are available for more information and for distribution. 

The final round for participant expression of interest is now closed.

Reimbursements for participants:  

Some participants may be eligible for travel reimbursement (conditions apply).  

Participant testimonial: 

Image: Participant testimonial from the 4th iteration of the Clinical Placement Program in Cancer Survivorship 2022-2024 

This is the fourth iteration of the CPPiCS with the Victorian Government previously funding three successful iterations, all led by the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC).  

In the pilot in 2015, 16 General Practitioners (GPs) and 12 PN completed placements. The evaluation of the pilot project identified that a clinical placement program was feasible and was reported to be clinically and professionally valuable.  

The second iteration was funded in 2016, with 33 GPs, 16 PN, 16 oncologists and 13 oncology nurses participating in placements that focused on a broader approach to cancer survivorship and bidirectional learning.  

In the third iteration in 2017 - 2019, the program grew to include 90 primary care professionals, including AHP for the first time. It was identified that AHP were highly interested in the program, with a waitlist of AHP wishing to participate in placements.  

Program outcomes 

The program was highly successful, with 99% (88/89) of participants reporting they partially or entirely met their learning goals and 92% (81/89) of participants reporting increased knowledge and confidence regarding survivorship care. Furthermore, host sites also rated the program favourably. They reported the program as an important teaching opportunity and provided important linkages to primary care, enabling better transition of patients from acute to primary care services. All sites reported that the program structure, including administration and management provided by the ACSC, facilitated implementation and was not a burden on clinical services. 

To read more about program outcomes from the last iteration, please see:   

•  Piper A, Leon L, Kelly H, Bailey A, Wiley G, Lisy K, Simkiss L, Jefford M. Clinical placement program in cancer survivorship for primary care providers 2017–2019. Journal of Cancer Survivorship. 2020 Feb;14:14-8.

The ACSC collaborates with many leading organisations to deliver survivorship-related webinars.  

Collaborations have included the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA), Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA), Cancer Council Victoria (CCV), the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA). 

Follow upcoming professional development webinars, and to view previously delivered webinars, visit our Health Professional Events page.

Survivorship – Reconsidering Clinical Care, Policy, and Research Priorities for the Modern Era  presented by Prof Michael Jefford, ACSC Director, at the 2023 COSA Annual Scientific Meeting.

Cancer survivorship course

• 6-module introductory course for all health professionals
• offers up-to-date, evidence-based practical tools, tips and resources designed to help you improve care for people affected by cancer.
• The course was developed by ACSC in collaboration with Peter Mac, the University of Sydney, the Queensland University of Technology and national survivorship experts.

Cancer survivorship rapid learning

• 15 minutes rapid learning module for all health professionals
• Discusses the term ‘cancer survivor’, key survivorship resources, the importance of healthy lifestyle behaviours, survivorship care plans and engaging primary care in cancer survivorship.
• This rapid learning was developed by eviQ and the ACSC.

Cancer survivorship for primary care practitioners

• 4-week course for primary care practitioners including general practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals.
• Explores the importance of cancer survivorship, how to provide effective care plans, the psychosocial and emotional impacts of cancer survivorship care and more.
• Accreditation available
• This course was developed by The University of Melbourne

Health After Cancer Online course for primary care physicians

• Online course for primary care physicians
• Presents basic principles of cancer survivorship and aims to raise awareness of the complex physical and psychosocial needs of cancer survivors
• This course was developed by Stanford Medicine (US) 

The Cancer Survivorship Community of Practice provides a forum for people who share a passion for cancer survivorship. Visit our Health Professional Events page for upcoming Community of Practice events.  

Through regular events and an online collaborative workspace, the community of practice shares evidence-based resources and findings and promotes partnerships to develop sustainable service design. 

To join the online survivorship collaborative workspace, contact ACSC at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The contents of this workshop is currently under review

• This workshop is open to all nursing and allied health professionals
• It provides participants with key knowledge, skills and resources for implementing cancer survivorship care into practice
• It covers the key elements of survivorship, the common experiences of cancer survivors, motivational interviewing techniques, chronic disease management in primary care, tools/resources and group work to reinforce new skills.

For more information, please contact ACSC at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The ACSC offers in-service education to Peter Mac departments to help up-skill teams and support development of enhanced survivorship care in their unit.  

For more information contact ACSC at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The ACSC regularly hosts interstate and international visitors seeking tailored advice regarding developing or expanding their survivorship initiatives.  

For more information contact the ACSC Acting Manager, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..