Over the last few months, we examined individual elements of a cancer control program. It is now time to put them all together and seek to develop a population-based cancer control plan. This assignment requires you to describe how you would approach the task of developing a cancer control plan for a population – in this case, the Northern region of NSW, encompassing the Northern and Mid North Coast Local Health Districts.

You have been provided with a documents prepared by the Council NSW, summarizing salient data relevant to cancer control in this region. This is “real world” data (warts and all) – the sort that may be provided to you if you were a cancer control expert invited to prepare a cancer control report for the Region. It is understood that you have limited information sources at your disposal and are not expected to find additional sources of data, but may want to indicate in your answers what additional information you would require from your stakeholders.

QUESTION 1

Based upon the report provided, identify the key cancer control issues that need addressing when developing a cancer control plan for the Northern Region. To structure your response you may choose to use one of the existing priority setting frameworks from your readings or course materials. [10 marks]

QUESTION 2

What are the priority actions for cancer control for this region? Justify you responses NB: this questions asks you to discuss the top 3-5 interventions which could deliver the best “value for money” in reducing the burden and impact of cancer in the region. For example if tobacco control is one of your priorities, you would justify why it is a priority action and describe the activities that you would recommend at regional level to operationalize this. This could include for example education programs targeting specific populations in the region (provide details as to who/ where/ how and why), but not plain packaging, or taxation (which are national initiatives). [15 marks]

QUESTION 3

How will you assess the effectiveness of your cancer control plan? What types of evaluation would you consider and what data/ tools you would recommend to use for monitoring and evaluating the cancer control plan? [10 marks]

HOW YOUR WORK WILL BE MARKED

Your assignment will be marked using the School of Public Health rubric for written assignments.

SUGGESTED READINGS FOR ASSIGNMENT 2:

1. CCNSW Northern Regional Profile, 2016
2. Cancer control: knowledge into action. WHO guide for effective programmes
3. Abed J, Reilly B, Butler MO, Kean T et al. Developing a framework for comprehensive cancer prevention and control in the United States: an initiative of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. J Public Health Management Practice 2000. 6(2) 67-78
4. Maciosek MV, LeFrance AB, Dehmer SP et al. Updated priorities among effective clinical preventive services. Ann Fam Med 2017;15:14-22