Tēnā koe 

Release of 16 Optimal Cancer Care Pathways  

I am pleased to announce that the Cancer Control Agency | Te Aho o Te Kahu has published on its website 16 Optimal Cancer Care Pathways (OCCPs) for eight solid tumours and eight blood cancers that affect people in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The OCCPs are pathways that describe contemporary best practice for the delivery of optimal cancer care by tumour type. Each OCCP has been designed in partnership with the sector:  

• with the needs of the person and their whānau (family) at the heart 

• to reflect the best service capabilities available in New Zealand  

• to provide a national expectation of equitable, high-quality, timely, and evidence-based cancer prevention and care for all New Zealanders. 

The OCCPs include a:  

• Principles document which outlines the eight principles on which each OCCP is built   

• Supplementary Information document which includes additional information on: achieving Pae Ora; equity and whānau insights; Person/ Whānau questions; definitions; tumour volumes; OCCP tumour references and bibliographies 

• Pathway document relating to a specific type of cancer (links listed below).  

How to use the OCCPs 

The OCCPs are a pathway for organisational system leaders and service providers to help:  

• identify centres of excellence and share learnings with others 

• identify gaps in existing cancer services  

• address barriers and unwarranted variations in accessing high-quality care  

• identify opportunities for system improvements  

• continually improve how services are planned and coordinated over time.  

The OCCPs can be used at both a national level and a regional/district level to analyse the current state of services against recommended pathways. This could inform plans to bridge any identified gaps, starting with achievable quick wins, and building towards more substantive improvements.    

Over the coming year, our team will connect with organisations across the sector to support the use of the OCCPs. We are also in discussions with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to collaborate on a national current state and gap analysis of 1 or 2 OCCPs, to identify future areas of improvement. 

Where you can find the available OCCPs 

You can read Edition One of each OCCP, along with Principles and Supplementary Information on the Our Work, Guidance, and Publications sections of Te Aho o Te Kahu website, using the links below.  

Edition One of the OCCPs will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis (three yearly or if there are major clinical or policy changes). 

Optimal Cancer Care Pathways - Pathway documents

For types of tumour cancers

• Bowel cancer Edition One (PDF 1.35KB) or (Word 2.3KB)     
• Breast cancer Edition One (PDF 1.37KB) or (Word 2.27KB)      
• Head and Neck cancer Edition One (PDF 1.41MKB) or (Word 2.68KB)   
• Lung cancer Edition One (PDF 1.45KB) or (Word 2.37KB)   
• Ovarian cancer Edition One (PDF 1.25KB) or (Word 2.28KB) 
• Pancreatic cancer Edition One (PDF 1.24KB) or (Word 2.28KB)   
• Prostate cancer Edition One (PDF 1.38KB)  or (Word 2.32KB) 
• Sarcoma cancer Edition One (PDF 1.31KB) or (Word 2.64KB)

For types of blood cancers:

• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Edition One (PDF 1.32KB) or (Word 2.35KB)
• Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Edition One (PDF 1.34KB) or (Word 2.69KB)
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Edition One (PDF 1.31KB) or (Word 2.34KB)
• Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia Edition One (PDF 1.30KB) or (Word 2.33KB)
• Hodgkin and Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Edition One (PDF 1.30KB) or (Word 2.33KB) 
• Low Grade Lymphoma Edition One (PDF 1.33KB) or (Word 2.34KB) 
• Multiple Myeloma Edition One (PDF 1.31KB) or (Word 2.34KB) 
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome Edition One (PDF 1.29KB) or (Word 2.32KB) 

If you have any feedback, you’re welcome to email us at queries@teaho.govt.nz.  

Ngā manaakitanga, 

Nicola Hill
Tumuaki, Chief Executive (Acting)
Te Aho o Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency