Irish Cancer Society strategy 2013-2019

In 2013, an ambitious strategy was developed to match the Irish Cancer Society’s vision of a future without cancer.

The strategy outlined 4 goals and is still guiding us today. These goals are:

Reduce the risk of cancer in Ireland.

• Develop and deliver evidence-based, high-impact cancer risk reduction programmes targeted at individuals, specific communities and the population as a whole. 
• Develop “Cancer Action Communities” as ground-up, collaborative, community-level projects designed for specific communities identified as being at high risk.
• Grow partnerships and collaborations with other groups and organisations in order to ensure that our message about cancer risk reduction reaches as many people as possible.
• Work to have fewer people start smoking and those who do smoke are enabled to quit. 

Improve the lives of cancer patients, their loved ones, and cancer survivors.

• Review the impact and effectiveness of our existing cancer information, support and community services. This will allow us to develop and deliver targeted, evidence-based, high-impact and relevant services that meet identified needs in the most effective way.
• Ensure that everyone gets appropriate and relevant information on cancer treatment and care to help them to make informed decisions. 
• Identify gaps in post-treatment care and support, and identify the most effective ways of filling them. Where these relate to our own services, we will change them to meet the needs identified.
• Promote the need and importance around psycho-oncology serviced (the care and support of cancer patients beyond medical treatment).

Lead excellent and collaborative cancer research.

• Fund up to 5 collaborative cancer research centres.
• Develop strong collaborative relationships with other organisations including the Health Research Board (HRB), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and ICORG (Ireland Co-operative Oncology Research Group).
• Encourage and fund more research in cancer survivorship and health inequalities in cancer in Ireland.
• Initiate research to inform the Society’s programmes and direction.
• Support clinician scientists and the career development of junior cancer researchers in Ireland.

Inform and influencing public policy.

• Ensure the Government carries out its responsibilities as outlined in the National Cancer Strategy and annual National Cancer Control Programme plans.
• Inform and influence the development of a new National Cancer Strategy, paying increased attention to health inequalities, risk reduction and support for survivors.
• Create awareness at national policy level, and in Irish society in general, of the link between health inequalities and cancer risk.
• Advocate for urgent and coordinated action to reduce smoking prevalence in Ireland.
   

How we’re doing

We continued to make progress towards our goals in 2018. The strategy continues to be a living plan, allowing us alter our responses in real time, when we have faced challenges. 

We have been able to adapt and change as we see what is working and, indeed what is not working. 

We believe we have made good progress on our goals and objectives and we look forward to furthering our ambition this year.           

In 2017 the Board decided to extend the strategy for 2 more years to allow our new CEO, appointed in January 2018, to do a full strategic review.

The new five-year strategy will be published in 2020.