The ‘Women’s Health Conference: Improving how we detect and manage cancer’ was held in Port Macquarie on November 11 2017 and Kingscliff on November 18th 2017.
There was an excellent range of expert speakers. Speaker slides can be found below.
For further enquiries please contact Meg Baker on [email protected]
Women’s Health Conference Presenter Slides
Sara Gloede, Program Manager, Women’s Cancer Screening Collaborative (WCSC) presented on the role primary care plays in improving screening rates, and lessons learnt from the WCSC about the most important steps for primary care providers to focus on.
The role of primary care in improving cancer screening rates
This clinical overview of the National Cervical Screening Program was presented in Port Macquarie by Dr Deborah Bateson, Medical Director, Family Planning NSW and in Kingscliff by Dr Hilary Bower, Medial Coordinator, Family Planning NSW.
Alison Beverly, Nurse Educator, Family Planning presented a series of case studies in relation to the new National Cervical Screening Program in both Port Macquarie and Kingscliff
Case Studies_Family Planning NSW_2017
In Port Macquarie, Joanne Woodlands, Breast and Gynaecology Cancer Nurse Specialist, Mid-North Coast Local Health District presented on breast cancer care for primary care nurses. Topics covered included common treatment side effects, distress screening and the role of nurse specialists.
Breast Cancer Care for Primary Care Nurses 2017
In Kingscliff, Breast Care Nurse Specialists Karen Hennings and Monica Hogan from the McGrath Foundation and the Northern NSW Local Health District presented on a range of topics including types of breast cancer, the role of breast nurse specialist, local support services and the role of exercise during treatment.
The Role of the Specialist Breast Care Nurse
Karen and Monica also presented information about breast cancer prevalence and risk factors for developing breast cancer.
Did you know 6 out of 10 Australians don’t have the health literacy they need to act on health information?
Taya Prescott, Health Literacy Project Officer, Northern NSW Local Health District and North Coast Primary Health Network, presented on simple actions practices can take to make sure their patients understand and can act on health information.
For health literacy information, tools and resources or to book a training session for your practice visit the Northern NSW Health Literacy Website
Health literacy presentation
Health Literacy Women’s Health
Health literacy activities
Health literacy video
Whilst many practices set reminders when they receive a patient’s cancer screening result, often patients who have never screened (or are very overdue for screening) are “falling through the gaps” and are not being reminded to screen. Practices also often find that there is lots of room for strengthening how systematic they are about recall and reminders.
Katrina Otto from Train IT Medical ran an informative and practical session on the steps practices can take to improve and monitor their recall and reminder systems using both their practice software and CAT4.
This session opened with ‘Helen’s Journey’, the powerful story of Aunty Helen’s lived experience of the breast cancer journey. This video was a collaboration between Aunty Helen and the Mid-North Coast Local Health District and is a useful resource to share with women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Jane Walsh, Director of BreastScreen NSW North Coast, gave an informative presentation on how BreastScreen has worked in partnership with low-screening areas to successfully lift cancer screening rates.
The role of the BreastScreen bus and working in partnership to lift breast cancer screening rates
Sara Gloede, Program Manager Women’s Cancer Screening Collaborative, presented North Coast Primary Health Network and Cancer Institute NSW findings about groups of women most at risk of under-screening.
Women at risk of under screening