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UCC and Cork University Hospital join the OECI Cancer Centre Accreditation Programme
Cork University Hospital in collaboration with UCC have become members of The Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) and have begun the application process to become a fully accredited Cancer Centre.
The OECI quality assessment programme outlines a pathway to excellence using established standards and a peer review system. It is a supportive, voluntary measure and has been designed and developed by a wide range of experts from Oncology Societies and Patient Organisations throughout Europe. The OECI standards are certified by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) and are considered the gold standard for cancer care. Dr Claire O Regan, recently appointed Project Manager OECI Cancer Accreditation in Cancer Research @UCC, will work with all relevant departments across the university and the hospital to facilitate the process and document all of the excellent work being undertaken in cancer care.
Cork University Hospital (CUH) is one of nine designated National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) Cancer Centres nationally. It has a large and thriving range of services, and uniquely in Ireland supports the care of both adults and children and all cancer types. The Cancer Centre at CUH works with colleagues across the HSE in the community and other hospitals and serves a wider population of approximately 1.1 million in our region alone. CUH is a member site of the UCC Cancer Trials Group, housing one of two oncology trials units of Cancer Trials Cork, which celebrates 20 years at CUH this year. It also houses the HRB-funded Clinical Research Facility-UCC, and it is an established provider of academic teaching and education.
A letter announcing the CUH/UCC OECI accreditation process was circulated to all staff of the College of Medicine and Health (CoMH) UCC and Cork University Hospital last week, signed by Mr David Donegan (CEO of CUH), Prof. Helen Whelton (Head of CoMH at UCC), Prof. Seamus of Reilly (Clinical Lead Cancer Services at CUH) and Prof Roisin Connolly (Chair of Cancer Research UCC). It stated:
“Our vision is to develop even further, and to bring the Cancer Centre to the level of an internationally recognised Cancer Institute, integrating all aspects of cancer prevention and clinical care with innovative research, education and training. As an initial step to achieving this goal, we are excited to announce that CUH in collaboration with University College Cork have recently become members of The Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) and have begun the application process to become a fully accredited Cancer Centre. This process and accreditation is a guarantor of excellence in clinical care, research, clinical trials and education, and will enable close cooperation with peer institutions and major teaching hospitals across Europe, with the ultimate goal of improving patient care.”
Cork University Hospital, photograph by Tomás Tyner
While the OECI Cancer Centre accreditation process focuses on the hospital that it operates from, accreditation for the CUH/UCC Centre is seen as supporting colleagues and services across the South of Ireland. It is an initial step towards the development of an inclusive regional network of cancer services.
A Town Hall event will be announced in the near future to provide further information on the accreditation process.