On Friday, 20 September 2024, a conference with international participation was held at the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic (MZ SR) entitled "European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres and Patient Voices" in comprehensive cancer care in Slovakia.
Conference organised by The National Cancer Institute (NOI), which is an integral part of the National Cancer Institute (NOÚ), results from Slovakia's participation in the European project CRANE JA: Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCCs)
The conference brought together representatives of MZ SR, the professional community and patient organisations on one topic. The importance of patient voice has long been resonated in improving the quality of healthcare and is already firmly established in many European countries in the development of health policies, including at European Commission level, including the preparation and implementation of the European Cancer Plan. At present, the theme in the field of oncology in Slovakia as well as in the creation of a network of complex oncology care, where three key pillars are integrally linked: health care, research and education. The conference was opened by the Minister of Health of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Dolinková together with the coordinators of the European project CRANE for Slovakia, doc. RNDr. Soňa Čieriková, PhD., coordinator of research and educational projects NOI and MUDr. Maria Rečková, PhD., who is the medical guarantor of the NOI.
Our ambition is to develop opportunities for a better availability of comprehensive oncology care for Slovak patients, where research and education have a strong place. In order to bring Slovakia to a new quality level, we will support biomedical research, genome scanning, biobanking, clinical research and groundbreaking applied research in areas of the brain, heart and on-the-spot areas. At the moment, just before the announcement of calls to support health research and development in the total amount of more than 137 million euros from the Program Slovakia, the Minister Zuzana Dolinková said.
Penilla Gunther, former member of the Swedish Parliament, founder of the FOKUS Patient, active member of the Cancer Mission Board At the conference, the European Commission and the President of the European Patent Safety Foundation highlighted how the patient's voice, from the highest decision-making levels, can positively influence the constructive development of health policies in society, reflecting the real needs of patients.
Anita Kienesberger, Head of Nurse at St. Anita's Intensive Unit, currently President of the International Children's Cancer International (CCI) Committee and Chair of the Die Allianz Onkologischer Patent Innen Organisationen, as well as Working Group of the European Network of Patients' Lawyers (WECAN), with experience in other leading positions, from which she was able to represent and defend the rights and needs of children's cancer patients, underlined the importance of team effort and a multidisciplinary approach in improving the life of cancer patients during and after cancer treatment.
Ing. Iva Hrnčiříková, PhD., head of preventive advice at the Preventive Center of the Masaryk Cancer Institute in Brno (MOÚ), coordinator of the Patient Council, vice-president of the Department of Preventive Oncology of the Czech Cancer Society, at the same time university lecturer, coordinator of the ONKOFIT project and member of the Patient Council of the Czech Republic, with experience from working in other leading positions, in which she participated and participates in activities supporting oncology prevention and cooperation between experts and patient organisations, highlighted the importance of continuous education and awareness in professional and lay circles and the importance of the existence of a platform that allows joint decision-making between experts and patient representatives and the subsequent implementation of steps to improve quality cancer care.
Doc. RNDr. Soňa Čieriková, PhD., coordinator of research and educational projects NOI and long-time researcher with extensive experience in oncology at the Biomedical Center of SAV, as well as from work at European level as a member of the EU Task Force Mission Working Group under the Strategic Configuration of the Horizon Europe Programme Committee and a member of the Sub-group on Cancer under the Expert Group on Public Health, informed the participants about the results of the major Crane JA project in building a pan-European CCC network and European activities that support the importance of patient voice and a comprehensive approach in the field of oncology.
Prof. MUDr. Michal Mego, DrSc., head of the LF UK and NOÚ Oncology Clinics, head of translational research unit, the only one of its kind in Slovakia, and at the same time the main expert of the MZ SR on Clinical oncology with extensive experience at home and abroad, not only in the field of the provision of oncology care at the highest level, but also in research, development and education, presented his experience from the research of results as a sector of public health research which examines the final results (s) of the structure and processes of the healthcare system for the health and physical and mental fitness of patients and population (so-called outcome research). He stressed the importance of research of this kind and its undervalued potential and minimal realization in Slovakia with the belief that the situation will change in the near future and that research of this kind will record development in our country.
The director of the National Institute of Cancer Ing. Tomáš Alscher, MPH, with extensive experience in the management of the largest oncology institute in Slovakia, which is also the reference centre for the provision of oncology healthcare, research, development and education in Slovakia, and who is also involved through the National Institute of Cancer in the coordination of the objectives of the action plans of the Slovak National Cancer Programme, presented an example of good practice involving patient voice in key decisions going beyond the gates of one institution.
The State Secretary of the Slovak Republic Michal Štofko also took part in the event: I was honored to welcome the Minister to the Ministry of Representatives of the European Commission, National Complex Cancer Centres and many patient and professional organisations. I am pleased that I was able to hear their views on this platform and look at the emergence of patient advice and other institutions that can help cancer patients, but also family members of the sick, in the process of treatment and subsequent involvement in the normal life. A complex cancer centre is also an integral part of this process, which should represent the key role of the coordinator of this care and assistance.
The conference, which was attended by the chairman of the Committee of the National Council of the Slovak Health Department MUDr. Vladimír Baláž, PhD., representatives of MZ SR, NOÚ and NOI, East Slovakian Cancer Institute, a.s., Oncology Institute of St. Elizabeth, s.r.o., Slovak Cancer Society and 11 patient organizations, was concluded with a declaration with concrete steps to implement the firm inclusion of patient voice in the development of health policies in oncology, next update of the action plans of the National Cancer Programme for the years 2026-2030 with planned task count in one year, again on the premises of the MZ SR with the coordination gesing of the National Cancer Institute.
About the Crane project I:
The prestigious European project CRANE JA responds to the flagship initiative 5 under the European Cancer Plan, which states that by 2025 the European Commission will set up a European network linking recognised National Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCCs) in each EU Member State. The European Cancer Plan aims to ensure that 90% of eligible patients have access to such centres by 2030. The main objective of the Crane JA project is to create a European network of already existing and newly created CCC, to support the implementation of early disease capture, screening, diagnostics, treatments, support for survivors of cancer patients, research and training for oncology staff with the necessary quality. The CRANE JA project is preparing the necessary preconditions for administration and professional security to facilitate the establishment of such a European network. The project brings together 46 partners from 25 European countries who are uniquely placed to help establish a CCC network in Europe. The target group of the CRANE JA project is the main players involved in the future development of the CCC network: representatives of the Member States, the CCC network, European organisations and experts. Patient representatives are involved in work packages and are represented in the Stakeholder Forum. The CRANE JA project has received funding from the European Union via the European Executive Agency for Health and Digitalisation (HADEA) under the EU4Health 2021 programme – 2027.https://crane4health.eu/
O National Cancer Institute (NOI):
The NOI was established in the National Cancer Institute on 1 August 2018 as a clinical research, academic and educational platform. The main mission of the NOI is to participate comprehensively and independently in the achievement of the objectives of the National Cancer Programme in cooperation with other stakeholders, including MZ SR, in five specific areas: primary prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment, research and development, use of health data and information. The priority areas of the NOI include coordination and evaluation of oncology screening programmes in Slovakia, participation in international projects fulfilling the European Plan for Combating Cancer and EU Mission Cancer and support infrastructure for clinical trials in Slovakia.
