March 2024
Price: €125 PLUS VAT
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This conference focused on priorities for improving cancer service provision, prevention, diagnosis and innovation in Ireland.
It took place approaching the later phase of the Department of Health’s National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026, and was an opportunity to discuss progress and implementation, areas for further improvement and to consider priorities beyond the strategy.
In light of ongoing Sláintecare reform, delegates discussed priorities for cancer services, accessibility to cancer care, and the impact on elective care of the development of health regions.
Sessions looked at next steps for care and service provision, including tackling high waiting lists and improving timely access to care, reconfiguring patient pathways and personalising care, as well as key issues for the cancer workforce.
It was also an opportunity to discuss the future outlook for achieving earlier diagnosis, including options for screening, innovation in diagnostics, managing risk, inequalities, comorbidities and developing approaches for prevention.
Further sessions assessed priorities for developing innovative cancer treatments, the role of AI in cancer going forward, building the evidence-base for new and innovative care models, and options for improving north-south collaboration.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with: Professor Juliette Hussey, Professor in Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin; Professor Mark Lawler, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor of Digital Health and Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics, Queen’s University Belfast; Averil Power, Chief Executive, Irish Cancer Society; Dr Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti, President of SIOG; and Co-Chair of ECO’s Inequalities Network; and Professor Ronan Cahill, Professor of Surgery, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.
Overall, areas for discussion included:
- assessing cancer care: next steps for developing policy - assessing cancer survivorship and the state of supportive care - effective patient pathways - personalised care
- improving provision: addressing inequalities in service provision - funding priorities for cancer services and options for bringing expenditure in line with other EU states
- stakeholder priorities: improving awareness and access to testing - enhancing screening - the role of advocacy services - addressing stigma
- tackling waiting lists: improving early intervention - ensuring timely access to treatment and diagnostics - options for developing community diagnostics hubs
- Sláintecare reform:
- priorities for cancer services within ongoing health reform programmes
- configuring the patient pathway for an increased focus on early intervention and efficient follow-up care - enhancing community-based care
- innovation: the role of AI - increasing collaborative working and knowledge exchange - priorities for R&I funding - developing and adopting new treatments - priorities for drug discovery and development
- prevention: aligning cancer strategies with public health missions, such as the Healthy Ireland initiative - addressing alcohol misuse - improving public health testing and referrals
- cancer care post-COVID: addressing legacy waiting lists and uptake of screening services - tackling medicines, products and equipment shortages
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the Department of Health, ROI; Department of Health, NI; The Scottish Government; and both Houses of the Oireachtas.
