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Quality Practice
Volume 12 No 3
I
June 2016
25
Implementing the Standards
How are radiation oncology centres tracking?
North Coast Cancer Institute (NCCI),
NSW Health, published on its
experience of implementation to
demonstrate voluntary conformity
with the Radiation Oncology Practice
Standards (the Standards) in 2015.
Through the publication process, the
authors received mixed reviews on
the relevance and challenge of the
undertaking, indicating that attitudes
towards demonstrating conformity
with the Standards were variable within
the radiation oncology professions.
NCCI subsequently partnered with
the Tripartite Committee to conduct
a survey of all Australian radiation
oncology treatment centres (ROTCs) to
assess the current status of conformity
with the Standards and attitudes
towards mandating compliance.
A survey was developed by NCCI staff
and Tripartite Committee members
and distributed to the Directors of
Radiation Oncology, Chief Medical
Physicists and Chief Radiation Therapists
representing the 73 ROTCs that were
clinically operative at the time of
distribution, (May 2015). SurveyMonkey
®
was the survey tool used with a single
introduction page followed by a single
page of six questions.
Analysis of the survey findings showed
that:
1. Responses covering 75 per cent of
Australian centres were received
2. All centres were aware of the
Standards
3. The vast majority would like to be
compliant, the remainder who were
equivocal possibly not wanting to
have to take on the work without
additional support
4. A significant majority stated that
compliance should be confirmed via
external accreditation
5. There was a difference of opinion
regarding the need for additional
funding
6. By reading the Standards and
reviewing the checklist, every ROTC
could have claimed to be working
towards the Standards.
The survey has demonstrated that there
is a high level of awareness and desire
for Australian ROTCs to demonstrate
conformity with the Radiation Oncology
Practice Standards. The Tripartite
group can play a pivotal role in
encouraging/facilitating full compliance
of all Australian ROTCs and through
the working group will achieve that
objective.
Dr Andrew Last and
Mr Stephen Manley
North Coast Cancer Institute
RO Practice Standards Working Group
Doesyourorganisa-onconformwiththe
Radia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandards?
Yes-‐ourconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardshasbeenformallyassessed(pleaseaddacommentdescribinghowassessmentwasdone)
2
Yes-‐butnoformalassessment
9
No-‐butweAREprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
14
No-‐weARENOTprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
1
No-‐weelecttoconformtootherradiotherapy-‐specificstandardsinstead(pleaseaddacommentdescribingthestandards)
0
Idon'tknow
0
30/05/16
PleaseEvaluatethesestatements
Agree Disagree Neitheragreeordisagree
EveryRadia-onOncologyTreatmentCentreshoulddemonstrateconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandards
23
0
3
Addi-onalfundingisrequiredforourcentretoconformwiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandards
14
7
5
AssessmentofconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardsmustbedonebyanaccreditedassessor
19
2
5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Yes-‐ourconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardshasbeenformallyassessed(pleaseadd
acommentdescribinghowassessmentwasdone)
Yes-‐butnoformalassessment
No-‐butweAREprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
No-‐weARENOTprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
No-‐weelecttoconformtootherradiotherapy-‐specificstandardsinstead(pleaseaddacommentdescribing
thestandards)
Idon'tknow
Does your organisa-on conform with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards?
0
5
10
15
20
25
EveryRadia-onOncologyTreatmentCentreshoulddemonstrateconformitywiththeRadia-on
OncologyPrac-ceStandards
Addi-onalfundingisrequiredforourcentretoconformwiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ce
Standards
AssessmentofconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardsmustbedonebyan
accreditedassessor
Agree
Disagree
Neitheragreeordisagree
Doesyourorganisa-onconformwiththe
Radia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandards?
Yes-‐ourconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardshasbeenformallyassessed(pleaseaddacommentdescribinghowassessmentwasdone)
2
Yes-‐butnoformalassessment
9
No-‐butweAREprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
14
No-‐weARENOTprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
1
No-‐weelecttoconformtootherradiotherapy-‐specificstandardsinstead(pleaseaddacommentdescribingthestandards)
0
Idon'tknow
0
30/05/16
PleaseEvaluatethesestatements
Agree Disagree Neitheragreeordisagree
EveryRadia-onOncologyTreatmentCentreshoulddemonstrateconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandards
23
0
3
Addi-onalfundingisrequiredforourcentretoconformwiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandards
14
7
5
AssessmentofconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardsmustbedonebyanaccreditedassessor
19
2
5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Yes-‐ourconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardshasbeenformallyassessed(pleaseadd
acommentdescribinghowassessmentwasdone)
Yes-‐butnoformalassessment
No-‐butweAREprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
No-‐weARENOTprogressingtowardsdemonstra-ngconformity
No-‐weelecttoconformtootherradiotherapy-‐specificstandardsinstead(pleaseaddacommentdescribing
thestandards)
Idon'tknow
Does your organisa-on conform with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards?
0
5
10
15
20
25
EveryRadia-onOncologyTreatmentCentreshoulddemonstrateconformitywiththeRadia-on
OncologyPrac-ceStandards
Addi-onalfundingisrequiredforourcentretoconformwiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ce
Standards
AssessmentofconformitywiththeRadia-onOncologyPrac-ceStandardsmustbedonebyan
accreditedassessor
Agree
Disagree
Neitheragreeordisagree
Yes - our conformity with the Radiation Oncology Practice
Standards has been formally assessed (please add a comment
describing how assessment was done)
Yes - but no formal assessment
No - but we ARE progressing towards demonstrating conformity
No - we ARE NOT progressing towards demonstrating
conformity
No - we elect to conform to other radiotherapy-specific
standards instead (please add a comment describing
the standards)
I don’t know
Every Radiation Oncology Treatment Centre
should demonstrate conformity with the
Radiati n Oncology Practice Standards
Additional funding is required for our centre to
conform with the Radiation Oncology Practice
Standards
Assessment of conformity with the Radiation
Oncology Practice Standards must be done
by an accredited assessor
Does your organisa-on conform with the
Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards?
Yes -‐ our conformity with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards has been formally assessed (please add a comment describing how assessment was done)
2
Yes -‐ but no formal assessment
9
No -‐ but we ARE progressing towards demonstra-ng conformity
14
No -‐ we ARE NOT progressing towards demonstra-ng conformity
1
No -‐ we elect to conform to other radiotherapy-‐specific standards instead (please add a comment describing the standards)
0
I don't know
0
30/05/16
Please Evaluate these statements
Agree Disagree Neither agree or disagre
Every Radia-on Oncology Treat ent Centre should demonstrate conformity with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards
23
0
3
Addi-onal funding is required for our centre to conform with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards
14
7
5
Assessment of conformity with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards must be done by an accredited assessor
19
2
5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Yes -‐ our conformity with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards has been formally a sessed (please add
a comment describing how assessment was done)
Yes -‐ but no formal assessment
No -‐ but we ARE progressing towards demonstra-ng conformity
No -‐ we ARE NOT progressing towards demonstra-ng conf rmity
No -‐ we elect to conform to other radiotherapy-‐specific standards instead (please add a comment describing
the standards)
I don't know
Does your organisa-on conform with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce St ndards?
0
5
10
15
20
25
Every Radia-on Oncology Treatment Centre should demonstrate conformity with the Radia-on
Oncology Prac-ce Standards
Addi-onal funding is required for our centre to conform with the Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce
Standards
Assessme t of conformity with th Radia-on Oncology Prac-ce Standards must be done by an
accredited assessor
Agree
Disagree
Neither agree or disagree