Significant milestone for CUH/UCC cancer centre
A newly achieved accreditation for a cancer centre in Cork has recognised its excellence in cancer care, research, education and training.
The HSE announced on Monday that the CUH/UCC Cancer Centre has achieved the highest possible European accreditation and is now a designated Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) Cancer Centre.
It marks a significant milestone in the development of the Cancer Centre, an innovative collaboration between Cork University Hospital and University College Cork, with strong regional support from HSE South West.
Dr Andy Phillips, Regional Executive Officer, HSE South West said: “I want to extend my congratulations and thanks to everyone involved in reaching this important milestone for cancer care in HSE South West and I look forward to working with the Cancer Centre to deliver its ambitious quality improvement plan over the next five years.”
The OECI is an international network of 159 cancer centres dedicated to fostering collaboration and improving care. They provide the gold standard for cancer accreditation in Europe, with performance assessments in both hospital and university settings. The CUH/UCC unit is the fourth centre in Ireland to gain the accreditation.
Deirdre O’Keeffe, interim CEO of Cork University Hospital said: “We are proud to have met the high standards required to be formally accredited as an OECI Cancer Centre. This is great recognition for the hard work and ambition shown by our dedicated staff who are committed to advancing cancer care for our patients.”
During the extensive audit, OECI auditors praised several strengths of the CUH/UCC Cancer Centre including staff engagement in the process, the quality and dedication of healthcare teams and clinical research and trials.
A key feature of OECI is a requirement to link patient care, research and education under one common vision and strategy. Accreditation strengthens the centre’s position nationally and internationally, promoting collaborations and maximising opportunities for international funding.
Clinical Director of the Cancer Centre, Dr Dearbhaile Collins said: “This accreditation is a tremendous achievement for the CUH/UCC Cancer Centre and its committed staff. It acknowledges our excellence in both clinical care and research and provides a framework by which we can constantly strive for the highest quality cancer care, on a par with centres across Europe and the world. What this means for our patients is that you know you are receiving the highest expert care for your cancer right here at home in Cork.”
The CUH/UCC Cancer Centre team will receive their accreditation at a ceremony taking place in Athens next month.
Prof. Roisin Connolly, Chair of Cancer Research at UCC and Academic Director of the Cancer Centre said: “OECI accreditation underscores our strong commitment to integrate cutting-edge research with patient care to improve patient outcomes and experience. Our goal is for at least 10% of our patients to be recruited to clinical trials over the next five years.”
Prof. Helen Whelton, Head of College of Medicine and Health, UCC, said: “The OECI process has required a unified governance model for the Cancer Centre to align academic research and practice. This approach is fundamental to strengthening our Academic Health Science System, ensuring scientific discoveries lead to direct clinical benefits for patients.”