Urology Network
Co-Chairs: Andrew Brooks and Janette Williams
The Urology Network was established in 2006. It offers an opportunity for consumers and clinicians to meet and discuss issues relevant to NSW urological services.
The Network's main objectives are to reduce inequity of access, promote high quality care and ultimately improve outcomes. The Network areas of activity and projects also include education, equipment and workforce.
In May 2009 Urology Network and the Cancer Institute NSW Urology Oncology Group decided to collaborate on specific activities. This has proved worthwhile with a project looking at Multidisciplinary Teams and secondly the development of a pilot program for a prostate cancer nurse.
The Network comprises of approximately 85 members, including medical, nursing and allied health clinicians, academics and consumers.
Ambulatory Model of Care for Flexible Cystoscopy
The NSW Health Surgical Services Taskforce has endorsed the Network's proposal to introduce an ambulatory model of care using flexible cystoscopy under local anaesthetic for diagnostic cystoscopy. The use of flexible cystoscopes is the most cost effective form of surveillance for a range of clinical indications, the most common being patients with a diagnosis of superficial bladder cancer. The proposal highlights benefits relating to efficiency, cost effectiveness and quality and safety. Reduction in waiting times, an earlier diagnosis for the patient, reduced length of stay, better options for teaching, addressing patient preferences, waiting list management and training and education opportunities are additional benefits. Approval for implementation of this model of care has been given by NSW Health, and the network is now working to see it's implementation across the state.
Management of Stone Disease
In 2007 Urology Network conducted a survey of the existing model of care for ureteric stone management in NSW. The observational study commenced in February 2007, it looked at the current treatments available for kidney stone disease in NSW, comparing treatment outcomes in the public and the private sector.
A report on the findings was published by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) as a "Letter to the Editor" on 17 November 2008. The study, involving 92 patients, identified 'unacceptable' inequalities in treatment options and waiting times for patients in public health facilities compared with patients in private health facilities.
The published letter can be found in the MJA Volume 1899, Number 10, page 596.