European Partnership for Action Against Cancer
More information: www.epaac.eu
The European Partnership for Action Against Cancer was launched in 2009, after the European Commission published the Communication on Action against Cancer: European Partnership. This is a unique partnership bringing together stakeholders from the entire cancer continuum in Europe, in efforts to share knowledge and expertise to prevent and control the burden of cancer. Encompassing 38 Associated Partners and 90 Collaborating Partners, the European Partnership for Action Against Cancer is a large and ambitious project and is a unique disease-specific "joint action" incorporating all bodies involved in cancer: national health ministries, EU policymakers, regional agencies, professional organisations, patient groups, health NGOs and interest groups and industry. SIOPE is involved in this initiative in order to improve the quality of care of children and adolescents with cancer, as well as to assess the relevant organisational aspects in paediatric oncology.
In 2008 SIOP-Europe made a survey, which confirmed the need for childhood cancer standards of care in Europe (27 paediatric oncology centres in Europe confirmed the need in 2008). So far, only Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy have recognised standards of care for paediatric oncology. In 2009 a European conference took place in Warsaw, attended by paediatric oncologists, parent's organisations and politicians. The outcome of this conference was the very important consensus document "European Standard of Care for Children with Cancer".
Together with SIOPE, in October 2011 the Polish Ministry of Health organised a meeting in Warsaw, Poland, to promote the 'European Standards of Care for Children with Cancer', a consensus document on the minimum standards that institutions should have when caring for our young patients, in order to address inequalities in Europe (here you can find a report and presentations being made during the meeting). These Standards have been agreed both by patient and parent groups and professionals, in cooperation with the Polish "Communication without Barriers Foundation".
More information on the European Standards of Care for Children with Cancer in English (also available in other languages below):
Highlights from the Standards include:
Recommended staffing levels for the paediatric haematology/oncology ward
Components of care in a specialist facility
Delivery of Therapy
Monitoring the late outcomes of cancer
Psychological and Psychosocial Care
The rights of the hospitalised child
The critical role of parents
Deliverables of this part of the European Partnership for Action against Cancer include:
Production and dissemination of the European Standards of Care for Children with Cancer
Conference organised by the Polish Health Ministry with SIOPE to increase policy and public awareness of the need for the development of standards of care in paediatric oncology in European health system: 20 - 21 October, 2011 in Warsaw, Poland
Survey of Paediatric Oncology units to track the changes observed since the establishment of the Standards of care
Download the European Standards of Care for Children with Cancer in different languages:
Czech
English
Greek
Italian
Latvian
Lithuanian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Serbian
Slovak
Slovenian
Spanish
Russian
Ukrainian
Report and presentations at the Joint Polish Ministry of Health - SIOPE event which took place on 20-21 October 2011 in Warsaw – Poland
To find out more, please contact the office at office<at>siope.eu (please replace <at> with @)