Today, 16th May 2025, the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) launched three HSE National Clinical Guidelines:
These evidence-based guidelines provide recommendations for clinical care. They aim to reduce variation in practice in terms of access, quality of care, and cost with the overarching goal of improving patient outcomes including their experience of care.
The guidelines were developed by three individual guideline development groups (GDG) comprising clinicians, patient representatives, researchers, and other key stakeholders. The Breast, Prostate, and Rectal Cancer GDG’s were chaired by Prof Deirdre Duke, Consultant Radiologist, Beaumont Hospital; Mr David Galvin, Consultant Urologist, Mater Hospital; and Prof Paul McCormick, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, St James’s Hospital, respectively. All groups were co-chaired by Dr Eve O’Toole, Head of the Evidence and Quality Hub, NCCP.
Members of the Guideline Development Groups with the Minister for Health L-R: Professor Paul McCormick, Mr Tom Hope, Ms Aisling Dempsey, Ms Kathleen O'Connor, Dr Eve O'Toole, Minister Jennifer Carroll McNeill, Professor Risteárd Ó Laoide, Professor Deirdre Duke, Mr David Galvin
Speaking about the guidelines Dr. Eve O’Toole explains "the NCCP is committed to ensuring that guideline recommendations reflect the best current evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values, and are accessible for all patients and clinicians through the HSE National Central Repository.”
The previous and current National Cancer Strategies recommend that the NCCP develop guidelines for cancer care to improve the quality of care delivered to patients. To date, nine national clinical guidelines for cancer have been developed, with various updates throughout the years and further updates to continue. National Clinical Guidelines play a pivotal role in shaping cancer care. They offer patient-centred, evidence-based recommendations that enhance the quality of care provided to patients. They also empower patients to actively participate in decisions relating to their care.
According to Prof. Deirdre Duke,“by streamlining the diagnostic and staging pathway for patients with breast cancer, the guideline recommends what imaging investigations are most appropriate, without over-treating and thus avoiding unnecessary investigations and obtaining treatment in a timely manner”.
Mr David Galvin emphasised the importance of guidelines stating that said “the new active surveillance guideline will identify which patients can avail of active surveillance and delay or avoid active treatment. These guidelines are a great patient resource and the contribution we have had from patient representatives in developing these guidelines has been invaluable”.
The guidelines promote better communication with patients, acknowledging that patients benefit from clearer information and structured plans, helping them understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and what to expect. “By addressing new and emerging evidence, these guidelines help clinicians and patients make informed choices that reflect their needs and aim to improve patient outcomes” – Prof. Paul McCormick.
The NCCP recognises the importance of patient input and their role as key stakeholders in developing guidelines. Several patients were invited to contribute to the development of these guidelines which has helped to capture important quality of life issues and patient values.
As key contributors to the guidelines, Mr Tom Hope and Ms Kathleen O’Connor, reflected on the process“it was a privilege to contribute to the development of the guidelines; we felt that our opinions mattered and were taken into consideration by the groups. Guidelines for cancer are crucial as they empower patients to speak out, ask questions about their diagnosis and become actively involved in decisions about their treatment”.
The guidelines are intended for use by all healthcare professionals involved in multiple stages of the cancer pathway for the three most common cancers in Ireland. They will also be of interest to patients undergoing diagnosis, staging and treatment of these cancers, and their families and carers. These updated guidelines replace recommendations within the original National Clinical Guidelines published in 2015 and 2020.
At the launch the Minister for Health stated that“I am delighted to launch this new suite of HSE Guidelines on cancer care. They reflect our commitment to delivering high-quality, equitable, and patient-centred oncology services under the National Cancer Strategy 2017–2026. I was especially pleased to meet some of the patients involved in the process of putting the Guidelines together. It is so important that patients’ voices are heard. The Guidelines will be a useful tool for clinicians and patients alike and will support their shared decision-making.”
The full guidelines are available on the HSE National Central Repository: https://www2.healthservice.hse.ie/organisation/national-pppgs/ and will be disseminated across the HSE Regional Health Areas and cancer centres for implementation.
For further details, please contact guidelines@cancercontrol.ie
Last updated on: 16 / 05 / 2025
