Central East Regional Cancer Program
The Central East Regional Cancer Program is a network of cancer services and hospitals providing care to the 1.6 million people who live in Durham, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Peterborough, and Scarborough. One regional cancer centre, the R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, and seven, partner hospitals work together with community organizations to provide cancer care to residents of the Central East.
Regional Cancer Programs (RCPs) are networks of hospitals and other agencies involved in providing cancer prevention, screening, diagnostic, treatment, and support services. There are fourteen RCPs within the province of Ontario. We are one of 14 regional cancer programs in the Province that report to Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario, a government agency that ensures someone with cancer receives the same high quality care no matter where they live in Ontario. The Central East Regional Cancer Program also collaborates with other cancer programs in Ontario, linking specialized services and regional and provincial programs.
Ontario Cancer Plan (OCP) 5 and Indigenous Cancer Strategy (ICS) 4
In June 2019, Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario released Ontario Cancer Plan 5 as a refresh of Ontario Cancer Plan IV. Ontario Cancer Plan IV was based on a new strategic planning framework, with cross cutting goals. As well, in March 2020, Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario released the Indigenous Cancer Strategy 4, which directly aligns with the Ontario Cancer Plan 5. Significant progress towards the commitments identified in Ontario Cancer Plan IV and Aboriginal Cancer Strategy III occurred with further opportunities for advancements anticipated in the refresh of the plans.
The Central East Regional Cancer Program's Refreshed Strategic Plan (2019-2023)
In 2018, a Working Group consisting of key stakeholders from the Central East Regional Cancer Program (CE RCP) Leadership Council, including hospital leaders and Regional Leads, partnered together with Patient Advisors to determine the planning and next steps towards creating a refresh of the previous strategic plan. The Working Group tasked with this work chose to adopt an inclusive approach, continuing work towards commitments made in Ontario Cancer Plan IV and Aboriginal Cancer Strategy III.
Patient engagement is a driving force of person-centred care, and an improved patient experience is a primary outcome of both person-centred care and patient engagement. Understanding patient experiences with cancer care in the Central East served to inform the identification of regional opportunities in the refresh of the Strategic Plan aligning with the provincial objectives.
There was a need to pause the work on the refresh of the CE RCP Strategic Plan for a few months at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The need to pivot in the planning of next steps in response to the pandemic allowed for the identification of new opportunities, incorporating them into the refresh of the Strategic Plan.