Following a two and half year consultation and development process, the McGrath Foundation today launched the McGrath Model of Care.

The McGrath Model of Care provides a framework for the delivery of best practice breast cancer care. It defines and guides the delivery of care from diagnosis throughout treatment and beyond.

Drawing on 15 years’ experience and data from more than 150 specially trained nurses, the Model has been developed in consultation with 25 leading cancer specialists and clinicians including surgeons, oncologists, GPs, and patients.

McGrath Foundation Director of Mission Programs, Jane Mahony explained, “This is the first comprehensive model of care for breast care nursing in Australia to be developed in more than two decades.”

“The McGrath Model of Care means patients receive consistent evidenced based care no matter where they live. The Model empowers them with knowledge so they can make decisions that are right for them,” she said. “In addition, it provides a standardised approach that enables efficiencies and improved care to patients across the country.”

Breast cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia with an estimated 19,974 new cases in 2020, significantly higher than twenty years ago. Treatments have advanced considerably, no longer necessarily following a linear pathway, and psychosocial and supportive care now plays a greater role in caring for people with breast cancer.

As the largest funder of breast care nurses in Australia, the McGrath Foundation is proud to have led the development of the McGrath Model of Care to enhance and standardise supportive care nursing practice and deliver best-practice care to patients right across Australia.

The McGrath Model of Care has proudly been endorsed by the Australasian Society for Breast Disease (ASBD), Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), Breast Surgeons of Australian & New Zealand (BreastSurgANZ) and the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA).

The McGrath Model of Care is available for download below.