MPCCC backs state-wide cancer improvement with fresh structure

The MPCCC has reviewed and enhanced its executive team and in coming weeks will form a new advisory committee to ensure both regional and state-wide cancer improvement priorities are realised.

The new structure will connect expertise from across the MPCCC partnership and ensure cancer-care driven connections with Monash Partners, the Victorian Government and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

“MPCCC has demonstrated that we can successfully lead and deliver on collaborative research and service improvement programs that are designed to build capability and capacity for cancer across south-eastern Victoria,” said Prof Melissa Southey, Research Director of the MPCCC since May 2019 and Professor of Genetics at Monash University.

“We are now keen to involve more professionals engaged with the state-wide agenda and from a broader range of disciplines and health services, in order to maintain momentum across south-eastern Victoria,” Professor Southey said.

The newly forming MPCCC advisory group aims to ensure that the many strengths of the Monash partnership support state-wide priorities including health services research, better outcomes for vulnerable populations and the continued development of improved regional reach and services for all Victorians.

MPCCC’s new executive team now includes an education and workforce representative, and a clinical research representative in addition to the long-standing roles of the Research Director, the SMICS Clinical Director(s), the Monash Partners’ Cancer and Blood Diseases Theme representative, the Manager of Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service and the MPCCC Chief Operating Officer.

“These important changes have injected MPCCC with a new energy to drive the next phase of innovative research translation and improved clinical care,” commented Professor Christina Mitchell, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University.

“This is an exciting era of innovation in cancer with precision therapeutics, new care paradigms, better data collection and increased consumer and community led initiatives. The MPCCC now has demonstrated capacity and a nimble structure to take on new challenges,” said Professor Andrew Way, current Chair of MPCCC and Alfred Health Chief Executive. Professor Way will be succeeded as MPCCC Chair in May 2020 by Felicity Topp, Chief Executive of Peninsula Health.

“Keeping up the pace and scale of change requires regular review of how organisations like MPCCC function to make sure we have the right structure and mix of people to deliver,” Professor Way said.

For more information about the MPCCC, its governance, membership and collaborative research and service improvement programs, see our leadership page.