Background
Consumers use the analogy of a “train trip across Australia” to describe their cancer experience, emphasising that patients were the only ones to complete the whole cancer journey². Care of head and neck cancer patients requires a multidisciplinary team including allied health. Frequent dietitian contact has been shown to improve nutrition outcomes and quality of life¹ and speech pathology rehabilitation follow up is recommended for up to 2 years³. Other allied health involvement may include audiologists, physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers.

As the patient moves from acute cancer services and returns to local communities there is potential for ‘falling through the cracks’ of care. Early introduction into local allied health community services assists in smoothing the transition and reducing the feelings of abandonment when active care ceases⁴. Tele-health services can support local clinicians to provide specialist allied health services, but are inconsistently integrated.

The development of regional pathways for allied health will support the delivery of care across boundaries, provide consistency in practice, and improve service continuity and collaboration, thereby ensuring the equitable, safe and effective care needs of patients are met.

Aims:
To develop an allied health regional pathway, for head and neck cancer patients and thereby facilitate safe, effective, efficient, equitable access to care, in public health services, in Queensland, incorporating the consumer perspective.

Methods:
A small working party involving a consumer representative, Queensland Health metropolitan, regional, rural and remote allied health staff involved in the care of head and neck patients was formed. The group mapped the current patient journey identifying issues, variations, service gaps, opportunities for improving services.

Results:
The use of change management principles was integral to the development of the regional pathway, including recommendations that have been developed for demonstration across the central region of Queensland.