South Australian cancer research strategy
South Australia is committed to ongoing collaborative investment in cancer research to reduce the burden of cancer on the community.
The Statewide Cancer Control Plan
In 2006, South Australia’s Cancer Clinical Network, in collaboration with Cancer Council SA developed the first Statewide Cancer Control Plan.
This plan laid the foundations for the South Australian Cancer Research Collaborative—a joint venture between SA Health, Cancer Council SA, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), The University of Adelaide, Flinders University and the University of South Australia. Since 2011, the collaborative has been the most significant strategic change in cancer research in South Australia’s history, overseeing the implementation and management of state-level funding from 2011 to 2016 in the form of Cancer Council’s Beat Cancer Project.
Building upon this, Cancer Council SA has led the development of the 2016-2021 South Australian Cancer Research Strategy, in partnership with SA Health and South Australia’s research institutions: The University of Adelaide, Flinders University, the University of South Australia and SAHMRI.
The Strategy responds to the need to ensure that the South Australian cancer research enterprise continues to grow its strong foundations and competitiveness and is well placed to adapt to and take advantage of the rapidly expanding health and medical research and health services infrastructure in South Australia.
Key findings identified in the report
- The burden of cancer on the South Australian community is growing.
- Cancer represents a significant cost to the health care system.
- Health and medical research is a fast-growing economic and health service multiplier.
- The South Australian Government is investing in infrastructure to support a ‘smart industry’.
- South Australia has a productive cancer research community.
1: Establish sustainable cancer surveillance and cancer quality and safety monitoring to support cancer control service providers.
2: Review and identify more effective methods for the implementation of research evidence into practice and policy.
3: Develop new translational research projects.
4: Develop targeted calls for research to address health inequities in priority areas in South Australia.
5: Promote greater consumer involvement in implementing the research strategy.
6: A research strategy evaluation framework is established that includes routine, periodic benchmarking of KPIs with leading states.
7: The research strategy is accompanied by a communications plan.
8: Identify and support high impact, innovative research that is in line with our state’s unique features.
9: Review of access, functionality and optimisation of research platforms.
10: Expand cancer clinical trials in both number and impact.
11: Partnering with Health Industries SA to maximise industry engagement.
12: The Beat Cancer Project be funded for a further 5 years with transitioning of governance to support close integration with recent developments that support linkages between research and health services.
13: Refresh the SACCC with greater stakeholder representation and engagement, and use the SACCC to drive the Beat Cancer Project and South Australian Cancer Research Strategy.
14: The Beat Cancer Project to continue as the Flagship Program for South Australian funded Cancer Research.
15: Redistribute the proportion of funding to better support clinical and health services pillars of research.
16: Increased funding for workforce and capacity building.
17: Cancer Council SA, SA Health and SAHMRI collaborate with the universities to continue funding for Research Chair and Fellow positions, and build formal mentoring capacity.