For the first time since the foundation, the OECI (Organisation of European Cancer Institutes) will hand over a quality certificate to five cancer centres in Europe on 18 June. These cancer centres have shown that they meet the quality criteria accounting for their specific type of centre, and they presented structures and culture to work continuously on quality improvement. OECI President, Marco Pierotti, and Wim van Harten, President elect, will hand-over the certificates to the cancer centres in a ceremony during the annual General Assembly held on June 18th in Amsterdam.

The OECI accreditation programme was launched in October 2008 after a set of quality standards was defined and validated in two pilot projects involving eight cancer centres in the EU. The final approved set of standards exist around six major themes, focussed on: policy, organisation and management; cancer screening programmes and prevention; oncology care; research; professional education; and, patient related aspects as patient information and involvement. The chapters contain a total number of 65 standards. The standards are constructed with a main statement and sub-questions.

The five cancer centres receiving the certificate are reviewed with regard to the quality standards in different ways. First an internal review – self assessment – followed by an external review. The external audit team of health care professionals from foreign cancer centres formulated a review report with strengths and opportunities for improvement. The report is the input for the cancer centres to create an improvement action plan, containing: goals, actions and timelines for implementation. Based upon the action plan the OECI Accreditation Board decides whether the cancer centres will receive the OECI Accreditation/Designation certificate.

The five cancer centres that will receive their certificate are: IPO Porto (Portugal), IPO Coimbra (Portugal), FIVO Valencia (Spain), The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Manchester (United Kingdom) and The NKI-AVL Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

Currently, another seven cancer centres in Europe have applied for accreditation and designation and are working on their self assessment.

In recent years, the multidisciplinary approach towards cancer treatment has grown. Consequently, the involved (medical) professionals and departments has increased. Moreover, new and improved treatments became accessible through new results of scientific research. And to fulfill the expectations of the patient and society, there is an increased demand for high quality criteria and transparency in performance of cancer centre. The objective of the OECI is to approach these demands through the implementation and assessment of the quality standards.

The hand-over will take place between 10.30 and 11.00 am (GMT +1) in The Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital (NKI-AVL), Plesmanlaan 121, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

ecancermedicalscience is the official journal from the OECI.

Source: Organisation of European Cancer Institutes