In 2008, the Ministry of Health commissioned Health Outcomes International to evaluate three community cancer support pilots. The pilot projects aimed at reducing inequalities in cancer access and outcomes for Māori and people living in rural areas, and were provided by: Tamaki Healthcare, Auckland; Te Kahui Hauora Trust and Aroha Mai, Rotorua; West Coast Primary Health Organisation (PHO), West Coast.
The services were based on international evidence suggesting that community-level cancer services may be effective in supporting more vulnerable populations to better understand, access and navigate the health system. They were built on a ‘patient navigator’ model of healthcare and aim to reduce barriers to cancer service access and care. They also aim to educate local communities about available health and social support services.
Although based on a common model of service provision each of the providers worked differently to deliver the cancer support services. The evaluation found that the pilot services had a number of positive impacts for patients and their whānau as well as for health and social service providers. The executive summary of the Evaluation Report outlines the success factors of these pilot services as well as strategies for developing similar services in the future.
Purpose
This Completion Report presents findings from a 3-year process and impact evaluation of the ‘Māori’ and ‘Rural’ Cancer Support Service Pilot Projects. Funded by the Ministry of Health (‘the Ministry’), contracted services across each of the three pilot sites ended in June 2010. Separate Final Project Reports, which provide detailed accounts of service processes and impacts were presented to the Ministry and each of the service providers in December 2010.
This report represents a collation of findings presented previously, and extends these to make recommendations for the development of supportive cancer care in New Zealand.
Chapter one provides a brief background to the service specifications for each of the pilot project sites, as well as background to the evaluation methodology.
Chapter two presents an overall assessment of the extent to which the pilot projects met their aims, and outlines service delivery impacts across sites.
Chapter three highlights key project success factors that may be replicated by other similar services.
Finally, Chapter four presents recommendations for the development of future similar services along with more general strategies for the development of supportive cancer care.