Access to specialist cancer nurses positively impacts quality of life. However, in Australia, there is variation in access to specialist nurses, particularly in rural and regional areas, and for less common cancers, such as pancreatic cancer. Our research team at the University of Melbourne and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, in partnership with the Cancer Centre at Bendigo Health, worked with patients and carers with a lived experience of pancreatic cancer and health care professionals involved in their care, to co-design a centralised nurse-led telehealth intervention called PANConnect.

PANConnect was developed to provide timely, personalised symptom management to patients with pancreatic cancer, irrespective of where they live. The PANConnect study aimed to assess and demonstrate acceptability and feasibility of PANConnect at Bendigo Health. Nine patients were recruited to the mixed methods study, and were provided with the PANConnect intervention for 12 weeks in addition to their usual cancer care. Interviews were conducted with patients, carers and health professionals to assess perceptions of the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention.

This presentation, facilitated by Prof Meinir Krishnasamy,  will provide an overview of the PANConnect intervention. We will present early insights to patients’ and carers’ views of PANConnect, and reflect on the benefits of regional and metro partnerships to develop patient-centred interventions and increase equity of access to specialist cancer nurses.

Dr Meabh Cullinane has a background in molecular microbiology, and is project manager of the PANConnect trial at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.  She has previously led a number of statewide maternity service evaluations, including an evaluation of a maternity education program delivered to rural and regional maternity service providers across Victoria. She also has an interest in breastfeeding research, and is involved in a study exploring general practitioners’ knowledge and use of the Therapeutic Guidelines for the treatment of breastfeeding conditions.

Lisa Brady is a Clinical Cancer Nurse Consultant with 30 years’ experience working within the cancer field. Over the course of her career, she has held several positions in advanced clinical nursing roles, including expertise in symptom management, telehealth and nursing research. She has also managed increasingly complex projects with a focus of improving consumers (patients and families) experiences of cancer services and care throughout their cancer diagnosis.