POSG Working Group Report

Working Group Report 1 January – 30 September 2013

Pacific Working Group

MEETINGS HELD Face to Face 21/02/13 TC 10/07/13 TC 15/10/13

GROUP MEMBERSHIP: Janet Mikkelsen to be replaced by Bridget Smith- Nurse educator, Starship Blood and Cancer Centre

KEY ACTIVITIES/ACHIEVEMENTS (last report November 2012)  December 2012: Nursing training* in Lautoka, Fiji for nurses from Lautoka and Suva- led by Chrissy Bond and Nicola Scott from Christchurch.  December 2012- Parent support* visit to Suva and Lautoka by Simon Lala and Jane Skeen  April 2013- visit* by Janet Mikkelsen to Samoa as part of a Pacific Palliative Care network.  July 2013- visit by Jane Skeen, Janet Masina and Janet Mikkelsen to Samoa at the invitation of the Samoa Cancer Society for the launch Samoan Early Warning Signs, at the Samoa Cancer Society. Clinical visit with Paediatric staff also occurred.  September 2013- Jane Skeen and Janet Masina attended* the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) meeting in Tonga. Jane presented on the “Early warning signs”. Clinical visit with Paediatric staff. Met with Child Cancer Foundation-Tonga.  September-October-2013- Chrissy Bond travelled to Fiji and Vanuatu with the surgical team from Christchurch (funded by Royal Australasian College of Surgeons).  Fiji- ongoing weekly Teleconference -Christchurch with Suva and Lautoka.  Protocols: PI –ALL-2 completed (Scott) and ready for use in Fiji.  Guidelines: Nutrition – draft completed (Isaiah and Chrissy)-to be circulated

EMERGING ISSUES  Fiji: Need for a nursing link between hospital and the community in Suva and Lautoka.  Position description “Registered Nurse Paediatric Oncology Community Outreach”- developed by Chrissy- document in consultation. Funding – potential source* identified for 3 years. Other issues under discussion: reporting lines, salary, vehicle costs and timeline.  Workload impact of “Twinning with Fiji” on Christchurch Paediatric Oncologists- to be discussed by the wider Christchurch team, then to be reported back to the next working group meeting.  Isaiah Immanuel will complete his placement Christchurch in November 2013 and will be returning to work in Suva, February 2014.  Work load and competing activities ongoing issue for some members of the working group. As a result slow progress being made on protocol and guideline revision and development.

RECOMMENDATIONS Finalise Fijian Nursing position descriptions, timeline for advertising, appointment and commencement of work. Pursue funding (Simon Lala).

PLANNED ACTIVITIES  28-31 October 2013- return visit to Samoa by Jane Skeen, Janet Masina and Bridget Smith to coincide with the return from Starship to Samoa of the boy with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). Training of the Paediatric staff and supervision of the start of his Continuation therapy (not previously done in Samoa).  November- December 2013- return visit* to Fiji- with potential WCCCT donor by Jane Skeen and Simon Lala.  March 2014 Launch Tongan Early warning signs in Tonga*  Early- mid 2014- VMS visit to Fiji by Rob Corbett and Paediatric Oncology nurse  2014-Launch Fijian Early warning signs in Fiji- date to be advised.

EXPENDITURE NCCN: Cost face to face meeting and 2x teleconference (Melissa to advise) Non- NCCN * funding provided by the World Child Cancer Charitable Trust

UPCOMING MEETINGS Face to face meeting in Christchurch February 2014 – date to be advised.

Dr Jane Skeen Convenor