“I would like to thank our patients and their families for their resilience and for their trust in us - it’s through our collaborative efforts that we make real impact in the fight against cancer,” according to Mr John Keane, Consultant Urologist and Chairperson and Cancer Governance Lead at University Hospital Waterford (UHW), speaking at the launch of the 2023 - 2024 Annual Report for UHW - South East Cancer Services.

“On behalf of the Cancer Governance Group, I extend my gratitude for the dedication, compassion and expertise of all staff and patients, who deal with cancer daily.”

The report highlights the continued focus on providing safe, high-quality care to patients in Waterford, Wexford, South Tipperary and Carlow/Kilkenny, and it further details key achievements, challenges and strategic priorities pertinent to each cancer speciality.

UHW is one of eight cancer centres in the HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). With UHW as the service’s hub, satellite cancer services are provided in Wexford General Hospital, St Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny, Tipperary University Hospital with radiation oncology services provided by the Radiation Oncology Centre in UPMC Whitfield Hospital, Waterford. As the designated cancer centre for the South East, UHW provides an extensive range of services, which spans all cancer specialities and includes early detection, diagnostics, treatment and survivorship.

The goal of the UHW cancer governance group is to provide patients with timely access to quality and safe cancer services provided within the available resources. Mr Keane also highlighted the enormous volume of cancer related activity during 2023 and 2024 and acknowledged the significant dedication, commitment and leadership by all staff involved in the cancer services.

According to Orla Kavanagh, Director of Nursing and Integration/Cancer Services Management Lead UHW, the annual report will be “influential in driving quality improvement and expansion of cancer services for the benefit of the growing population of the South East. We would also like to acknowledge the strength and courage of people affected by cancer, who have accessed the UWH-South East Cancer services. Their experiences shape the continuous improvement of our services and remind us daily of the importance of compassion, dignity and excellence in care.”

The report summarises cancer-related activities across the UHW South East Cancer Services in 2023 and 2024. It highlights the multidisciplinary and complexity of care being delivered to patients of the region and includes input from 16 different departments across the diagnostic, therapeutic and supportive care domains.

The achievements as outlined in the report also reflect the aims as reflected in the HSE Corporate Plan looking to ensure patients receive the right care, with a particular emphasis on “implementing clinical pathways and models of care that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services in areas such as cancer services.”