Regional Trials Network

Donna Long -Manager

Donna long is currently the Manager of the Regional Trials Network – Victoria which is a collaborative group of 8 regional oncology clinical research sites working to improve outcomes for regional patients through Government funded projects that are targeted at areas of unmet need in regional centres.
Donna has over 34 years’ experience in oncology including 12 years in the gynaecological oncology surgical unit at The Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney. Donna’s experience includes palliative care at Sacred Heart Hospice in Sydney, Breast Cancer Peer Support Coordinator at the Cancer Council NSW, 13 years’ experience as a Research Nurse/Study Coordinator at Border Medical Oncology Research Unit in Albury and experience as a Service Improvement Facilitator for the Hume Regional Integrated Cancer Service. Donna serves on the Board of the Australian New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG) and has been a member of ANZGOG and the study coordinators committee since 2005/2006.

Tell us about your background and role at RTN
I have over 30 years’ experience in oncology, including over a decade at the gynaecological oncology surgical unit at The Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney. I am also a member of ANZGOG, on the Board and the study coordinators committee. I have worked as a Study Coordinator for Border Medical Oncology Research Unit for over a decade.
I am the Manager of the Regional Trials Network – Victoria (RTN-Vic). One of the projects of the RTN-Vic is the flagship ReViTALISE initiative (Regional Victorian Trials Alliance: Linkages, Innovation, Special populations, Equity (ReViTALISE), an MRFF funded project improving regional, rural and remote Victorians access to clinical trials. This project is a collaboration between the eight regional clinical research sites of the RTN-Vic, University of Melbourne, La Trobe University – Wodonga and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. The ReViTALISE project focuses on areas of unmet need in regional Victoria.

Are you a member of SIGNeT, CQR SIG or both?
I am a member of SIGNeT and the RTN-Vic is a member of ACTA.

Do you have links to other groups or networks, and are you a member of any other community of practice meetings outside of the SIGs?
For a small organisation, we have a surprising number of links to other organisations! Listed below:

• RTN-Vic Operational Working Group – managers of member regional clinical trial sites
• Victorian Teletrial Collaborative – Alfred TrialHub, VCCC Alliance, RTN-Vic, Safer Care Victoria
• Victorian Rare Cancers Clinical Trials Alliance (VRCCTA)
• VCCC Alliance’s Research Managers group

Are there any challenges that you have in your role?
Funding is always a challenge. Government funding is great, but it comes in cycles. We are constantly seeking new grants and ways to find longer term funding.

What are some of the opportunities you see to address these challenges?
We are in the process of creating a “pipeline” of potential grant opportunities centred around key areas that our member network could work on together. The aim would be to prioritise in line with strategic goals and resource this effort accordingly.

How has ACTA supported RTN?
RTN has had lots of engagement with ACTA over the years, including the SIGs. SIGNeT is a great forum for meeting other CTNs. There is a lot of sharing of lessons learned and knowledge sharing between members of that SIG which is great and the education they provide is fantastic.
There are lots of really great resources on ACTA’s website and we have utilised many of these including around topics such as:

• Starting a CTN
• Sustaining a CTN
• Masterclasses

The annual ACTA symposium is a wonderful way to learn different things from a range of speakers and connect and network with peers.

What role do you think ACTA has in the future?
ACTA does well in the sector and needs to be supported as a national “backbone” organisation so that things can remain centrally coordinated and knowledge can continue to be shared across networks.
It has a vital role in pushing the clinical trial agenda nationally. It has a pivotal role in providing information to support Networks development, growth and sustainability through masterclasses, resources and communities of practice.