Monitoring and evaluation framework
Introduction
The Australian Cancer Plan (the Plan) was launched in November 2023 and consists of goals and actions to be progressed over two, five and ten years. This Monitoring and Evaluation (M+E) Framework is aligned with evaluation best practice and describes how the success of the Plan will be tracked, assessed, and reported. It provides considerations for different M+E activities relating to the Plan that may be required across its 10-year lifespan. These include embedding regular monitoring and reporting mechanisms to understand progress of actions across the cancer control sector that support delivery of the Plan, and periodic evaluations of the Plan’s implementation and achievements.
Purpose of the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
The development of the Australian Cancer Plan was underpinned by a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy and extensive consultation activities. The Plan is evidence-based and reflects the aspirations of the sector, including people affected by cancer. It is expected that implementation of the actions contained in the Plan will lead to improved cancer outcomes and experiences for all Australians.
The M+E Framework will guide Cancer Australia in monitoring and evaluating activities undertaken across the sector over the life of the Plan, to assess progress towards delivering its vision of world-class cancer outcomes and experiences for all Australians. Through a series of Key Evaluation Questions, the M+E Framework will support processes that consider the extent to which the actions in the Plan have been delivered, and the impact they have had on achieving the 2- and 5-year goals and the achievement of the 10-year ambition for each Strategic Objective.
The Plan’s 2- and 5-year goals, and 10-year ambitions for the six Strategic Objectives are shown below:
| Strategic Objective | 10-year ambition | 5-year goal | 2-year goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximising Cancer Prevention and Early Detection | A cancer control system that seeks to eliminate racism, proactively reduces cancer risk and supports all Australians to access personalised, evidence-based cancer prevention and early detection strategies | Culturally safe prevention and screening approaches to reduce cancer risk are embedded, and evidence-based and personalised cancer prevention and early detection strategies are incorporated into standard of care | Access to culturally safe prevention and screening approaches to reduce cancer risk is improved, and evidence-based and personalised cancer risk assessment strategies are identified |
| Enhanced Consumer Experience | People affected by cancer are partners in culturally safe, equitable and responsive cancer care, and health services and systems are trusted and supported for optimal experience, quality of life and cancer outcomes | Personalised models of navigation in cancer care are widely available to all Australians affected by cancer – engaging consumers in culturally safe, equitable and responsive cancer care, and driving re-orientation of health service systems, including training and distribution of cancer health workforce | Person-centred models of integrated navigation in cancer care are nationally defined, co-designed, developed and tested with consumers, to incorporate culturally safe cancer care |
| World Class Health Systems for Optimal Care | Integrated, coordinated, data-driven, high-quality health service systems that consistently deliver optimal cancer care and excellence in outcomes | Networked high-quality comprehensive cancer care systems that deliver optimal cancer care and better outcomes | Frameworks for high-quality comprehensive health service systems established to deliver better cancer care and improved outcomes |
| Strong and Dynamic Foundations | A modern, fit for purpose cancer control infrastructure, advanced by the innovative application of technology, research and data to improve Australia’s cancer outcomes | A national cancer data ecosystem supporting evidence-based, innovative models of care which incorporate national uptake of advanced technology and infrastructure, underpinned by world-class research and a clinical trials landscape in which all Australians have equal access | Nationally agreed frameworks for collection and reporting of comprehensive cancer data, and implementation of new technologies into routine cancer care, with a focus on research priorities that drive innovation and fast-track opening of cancer clinical trials in Australia |
| Workforce to Transform the Delivery of Cancer Care | An engaged, capable and future-focused cancer workforce that is culturally safe and responsive, well-equipped, well-supported and driven by collaboration, continuous improvement and diversity to enable the best care for all Australians affected by cancer | Strategies implemented to enable a culturally safe, responsive, and capable multidisciplinary workforce that is working at the top of their scope of practice and ability to deliver high-quality cancer care | National strategies developed to enhance clinical and cultural safety training and accreditation processes, build workforce diversity, expand multidisciplinary roles and determine retention strategies |
| Achieving Equity in Cancer Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People | Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, strength and sovereignty in a health system that achieves equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by cancer | Priority is given to accountability for the delivery of culturally safe services by all health professionals; training opportunities and support programs are established for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals in the cancer sector | Collaborative partnership and cross-sector approaches are developed and enhanced at the system, service and individual level; individual and institutional racism and discrimination across cancer services are identified and addressed |
To succeed in improving cancer outcomes for all Australians, the implementation of the Plan is a shared responsibility and requires buy-in and effort from the cancer control sector to implement actions and report on their progress.
The M+E Framework is not intended to generate new cancer data collection systems nor replace existing cancer and other health data collection and reporting mechanisms at the national or state and territory levels. Rather, this Framework sets an overarching approach for all stakeholders across the sector to monitor their progress towards achieving the Plan’s actions, goals, and ambitions.
Application of the M+E Framework will be an iterative process during which progress towards the Plan’s goals will be reviewed and its actions will be refined and adjusted as necessary to ensure the sector remains on track to achieve the 10-year ambitions.
Cancer Australia is committed to reporting on the Plan’s implementation progress. To aid consistent and accurate reporting, a monitoring template has been developed for use by all organisations involved in implementing the Plan.
Key Evaluation Questions
The Key Evaluation Questions (KEQs) below are designed to guide monitoring and evaluation of the Plan. They are intended to guide delivery of the Plan’s actions, and to be a foundation for future evaluation of the Plan.
To support monitoring and evaluation efforts using these KEQs, over the life of the Plan, Cancer Australia will gather evidence of implementation activities being carried out across the sector, from local initiatives to national programs and policies. This evidence will be used to assess the extent to which their implementation had the expected impact and contributed towards the overall ambitions of the Plan.
| Priority Area | Key Evaluation Questions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation
Relates to the delivery of the Plan’s actions (implementation as intended and/or adapted as needed) |
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| Effectiveness
Relates to the achieved intended and unintended results/effects of implementing the Plan |
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Application of the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
The application of the M+E Framework will be an iterative process over the period of the Plan’s implementation.
Scope and stakeholders
Many different stakeholders are involved in funding, commissioning, overseeing and implementing actions in the Plan. These include the Australian Government, State and Territory governments, non-government organisations, health service providers, clinicians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations, professional colleges, the research community, the education and training sector, and industry. Each of these stakeholders has a role to play in implementing actions under the Plan.
At an individual program level, responsibility for evaluating the effectiveness and impact of programs and initiatives that are aligned to the actions of the Plan rests with the stakeholder(s) leading the work. These stakeholders are expected to report on delivery to Cancer Australia, to support Plan-wide monitoring and future evaluations, for example, using the monitoring template (see Monitoring Template below).
Cancer Australia will conduct evaluations for implementation activities the agency is leading and will report the outcomes in the agency’s consolidated annual report and other existing reporting channels.
Monitoring Template
Cancer Australia has published a monitoring template intended to facilitate reporting of progress towards actions that support the delivery of the Plan and intended for use by organisations in the cancer control sector. Regular completion of this template by stakeholders will provide Cancer Australia with an evidence base and a comprehensive understanding of progress towards the Plan’s priority actions, emerging outcomes, and implementation gaps and challenges.
The monitoring template can be accessed here.
Approach to monitoring Australian Cancer Plan progress
Monitoring of actions that fall within the remit of the Plan will be undertaken on an ongoing basis. Monitoring will be coordinated by Cancer Australia and will require buy-in across the ecosystem of stakeholders involved in funding and/or implementing actions under the Plan.
Cancer Australia will engage with the cancer control sector throughout the life of the Plan to collect information on activities being implemented across the sector. This will be achieved by:
- gathering information at stakeholder meetings and events
- establishing Memoranda of Understanding or formal partnerships with stakeholders to co-lead implementation activities
- establishing non-binding, non-financial partnership agreements with interested stakeholders, intended to enhance collaboration and reporting
- receiving information sent proactively by stakeholders wishing to share their stories and achievements (e.g. via the Engagement Hub).
Cancer Australia will also utilise new and existing governance mechanisms including the National Cancer Expert Group, and the Leadership Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Control, to capture information on activities aligned with the actions of the Plan which are being implemented across the sector.
To support evaluation, partnerships and agreements will be complemented by a process of stakeholder consultation, similar to that undertaken during development of the Plan, to gauge what has changed, what has been achieved, and what remains to be done.
This emerging data will be integral to monitoring progress and identifying priority measures requiring further action.
The implementation timeline below indicates the anticipated timing of key monitoring and evaluation activities.
Next steps
As information is gathered about implementation activities being undertaken across the sector that are aligned to the Plan's actions, Cancer Australia will work with stakeholders to update the Implementation Plan. Content will be agreed with stakeholders before being published. This evidence base will contribute to the planned evaluations of the Australian Cancer Plan’s progress in 2026 and 2029 against the 2-year and 5-year goals, respectively.
Cancer Australia also intends to provide regular updates to the sector on activities and programs being implemented in support of the Plan’s goals and ambitions. This will be done via existing channels such as Cancer Australia’s website, newsletters, conferences and events, and through new channels developed for the purpose of keeping stakeholders informed of progress.
Stakeholders interested in developing a non-binding and non-financial partnership agreement with Cancer Australia to support achieving the goals of the Australian Cancer Plan are encouraged to contact the Australian Cancer Plan Implementation Team.
If you have an implementation activity you would like to tell us about, please complete the monitoring template by visiting Cancer Australia’s Engagement Hub to share your information with us.