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Country/JA: iPAAC logo iPAAC
Action type: Policy recommendations

Problem: So far, not all European Member States (MSs) have a NCCP, and among those MSs that do, the issues addressed by the NCCPs are very diverse.

Objective: The objective of this set uof recommendations is to improve the quality of NCCPs in the European Union (EU) by making recommendations on the issues to be addressed in the update process.

Implementation status: Recommendations on the inclusion of Patient Pathways (PP), Quality Indicators (QI), Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) and the implementation of Comprehensive Cancer Care Networks (CCCNs) in the updates of National Cancer Control Programmes (NCCPs).

 

Key Contextual Factors

  • Comprehensive NCCPs are key documents in the field of cancer control and their implementation is therefore crucial.
  • Within iPAAC JA (WP 10), instruments were identified (PP, QI, PROMS, Set of Standards for CCCN) that should be used for the management of oncological care in the sense of the development of CCCNs. These instruments should be used by those responsible in the MSs and should be taken up in the updating and initiation process of the NCCPs.

Key Components/Steps

  • In order to capture the current status and scope of the respective NCCPs a survey was prepared and sent to 34 countries (100% response rate).
  • The results of the survey showed that in the NCCPs, PP and QI were addressed in less than two thirds, CCCNs were implemented or partially implemented in less than two thirds and PROMS were addressed in 20 countries.
  • A set of recommendations derived from the results of WP10 to be included in the updates of NCCPs was prepared.

Main Impacts / Added Value

  • The recommendations for updating NCCPs will contribute to the governance of oncological care in the European MSs.
  • The recommendations will provide a uniform standard for the preparation of NCCPs, which will support the development of quality-assured oncological care structures.
  • At the same time, the recommendations are paving the way for a new version of the European Guide for Quality National Cancer Control Programmes which was prepared in the frame of EPAAC JA with the goal of creating a living document which is regularly updated.

Lessons Learned

  • The quality of NCCPs which are key documents in the field of cancer control in European MSs differs significantly which was confirmed by the results of the survey.
  • In order to ensure the quality of European NCCPs the European Guide for Quality National Cancer Control Programmes needs to be updated with some key elements that a quality NCCPs should cover.
  • PP, QI, PROMs, and the implementation of CCCNs were identified as areas to be included in the updates of NCCPs.
  • Recommendations on the inclusion of all four mentioned topics with performance measures were prepared through a consensus process within in the WP 10 working group and are ready to be included in the updates of NCCPs.

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References and Documentation

Contact

  • Institution/organization: National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
  • Department/lead: Marjetka Jelenc, MD, PhD
  • E-mail: marjetka.jelenc@nijz.si