New children's cancer service

In October 2007, Queensland’s children’s cancer services were unified and became the first step towards integrating specialities in the lead up to opening the single purpose built Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) on the Mater campus in 2011.

The Queensland Children’s Cancer Centre (QCCC), based at the Royal Children’s Hospital, is the newly created single paediatric cancer service.

The decision to integrate children’s cancer services from the Mater Children’s Hospital (MCH) and Royal Children’s Hospital was made after much discussion where it became clear a centralised facility was the best way to provide a comprehensive cancer service to all Queensland children and their families.

Professor Ross Pinkerton, Director of Paediatric Oncology across both the Royal Children’s Hospital and Mater Children’s Hospital, said a number of factors influenced this decision.

“A single integrated children’s cancer centre will enable the service to take advantage of new funds provided for the development of a state-wide children’s cancer network,” he said.

“In addition it will maximise the use of all clinical and research resources which will benefit patients through the expansion of multidisciplinary and outreach teams and give patients better access to new treatment strategies.”

“The move will also support staff education and professional development which will strengthen the services’ capacity to care for children with cancer throughout the state,” Professor Pinkerton said.

While the Mater paediatric oncology patients moved to the QCCC, the paediatric haematology and renal services remained at MCH.