RISE 4 Skin Cancer - Regionally Integrated Systems Enhancement for Skin Cancer Equity
Rural Skin Cancer Service Improvement Project, known as RISE 4 Skin Cancer – Regionally Integrated Systems Enhancement for Skin Cancer Equity.
Improving Access to Skin Cancer Care Across the Loddon Mallee
Skin cancer outcomes for rural Australians continue to lag behind those of metropolitan populations. Rural communities experience higher rates of skin cancer, reduced access to timely diagnosis and treatment, and poorer overall outcomes.
In the Loddon Mallee region, which spans almost a quarter of Victoria, melanoma incidence is higher than the state average. Residents face additional challenges including workforce shortages, fragmented service systems, long travel distances, and environmental risk factors that increase skin cancer exposure.
To address these challenges, the Loddon Mallee Integrated Cancer Service (LMICS) and the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research at La Trobe University brought together a consortium of eight cross-sector organisations. This collaboration successfully secured $2.8 million in Commonwealth Government funding to deliver a five-year skin cancer service improvement and treatment redesign project across diverse rural communities.
The project places a strong emphasis on equity, with a focus on First Nations peoples and other priority populations including young men, farmers, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Key Project Priorities
- Strengthening whole-of-practice education and support for general practice teams
- Developing locally tailored clinical pathways and referral systems supported by artificial intelligence
- Co-designing culturally appropriate health literacy resources with communities
- Improving access and outcomes for priority populations
- Establishing a First Nations-led model of care
- Enhancing coordination and integration across the regional skin cancer care pathway
The first year of co-design and community engagement identified several key challenges:
- Limited availability of local skin cancer services
- Unclear referral pathways and service navigation
- Gaps in practitioner education, confidence, and support
- Variable levels of community awareness, skin cancer knowledge, and health literacy
These findings reinforced the need for a more connected, accessible, and consumer-informed approach to skin cancer care across the region.
The emerging regional skin cancer model aims to deliver:
- Care Closer to Home
Supporting residents to access quality skin cancer assessment, diagnosis, and treatment within their local communities wherever possible.
- Timely and Accurate Care
Improving diagnostic and treatment pathways aligned with Optimal Care Pathways through the integration of evidence-based systems and processes within general practice.
- A Supported General Practice Workforce
Building capability, confidence, and ongoing support across the whole general practice team to strengthen local skin cancer care delivery.
- Better Referral Systems
Enhancing GP-to-hospital referral pathways to improve coordination, reduce delays, and support seamless patient journeys.
- Consumer-Informed Service Design
Ensuring that the voices and experiences of community members remain at the centre of service improvement and redesign.
Poster presented at the ACCN Innovations Showcase in Adelaide, September 2026.
