Pharmacists in Smoking Cessation

NEWS
National data collection
standards will contribute
to the delivery of safe
and reliable health and
social care
HIQA has published Information management standards
for national health and social care data collections, which,
when implemented, will improve the quality of
national health information and data, contributing to
the delivery of safe and reliable healthcare.
The 10 new standards focus on the information
governance practices and the management of national
health and social care data collections in Ireland. These
standards will apply to all health and social care data
collections established and maintained on a national
basis, providing a framework of best practice in the
collection of health and social care data.
Each national health and social care data collection
holds a rich source of data. These information sources
are used in many ways to inform decision-making,
monitor diseases, organise services and measure,
monitor and report on health and social care related
activities and outcomes. The HSE uses indicators
derived from these data collections through its service
plan to monitor its performance on the quality of
care. The Department of Health also collates these
indicators in an annual National Healthcare Quality
Reporting system report to provide a national overview
of the quality of healthcare in Ireland. These standards
will improve the quality of the data collected.
National health and social care data collections
are national repositories of routinely collected health
and social care data in Ireland. They play a crucial
role by providing a national overview of a particular
health or social care service. National data collections,
which play a role in providing a national overview
of particular health and social care services, include
the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI),
Immunisation Uptake Statistics and the Computerised
Infectious Disease Reporting (CIDR) System. They
enable the assessment of key indicators of the health
service, including influenza vaccine uptake, breast
cancer screening rates and information in relation to
hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA rates.
HIQA will develop a structured programme of
assessing compliance with the Information management
standards for national health and social care data collections
within its legislative remit. Recognising that these
standards are new, information sessions will be
held to support national health and social care data
collections to comply with these standards. HIQA plans
to initiate a review programme during 2017, which will
commence with the distribution of a ‘self-assessment
tool’ to national health and social care data collections
within its remit. This programme will be phased and
HIQA will continue to engage with national health
and social care data collections in advance of the
commencement of the process.
Huge rise in liver
cancer rates
shows need
to Get Cancer
through reducing
our risk
The startling increase in the number of people
diagnosed with liver cancer in Ireland highlights the
urgent need for us all to Get Cancer by reducing our
risk of contracting this devastating disease, the Irish
Cancer Society has said.
Latest figures from the National Cancer Registry
of Ireland (NCRI) show a 300% rise in liver cancer
diagnoses in Ireland in the past two decades. The
average number of new cases each year has gone from
60 in the mid-1990s to more than 270 in 2014. Of those
diagnosed, less than one in five (17%) survive their
disease for five years or more. In 2013, 306 people in
Ireland died from liver cancer, compared to an average
of just 40 people per year in the late 1990s.
The NCRI points to high alcohol consumption in
recent decades as one of the biggest reasons for this
four-fold increase.
Commenting on the figures, Irish Cancer Society
Head of Research Dr Robert O’Connor said,
“Alcohol is the cause of around 900 incidences
of cancer in Ireland each year, and 500 of these
patients will die of their disease. Overall, one in 10
of all cancers in men and one in 33 in women are
caused by alcohol. Liver cancer is one of seven cancer
types of which can be caused by alcohol. The high
incidence rates of the disease that Ireland is currently
experiencing is a result of decades of people in Ireland
simply drinking too much.
“One in five of all alcohol-related deaths are due to
cancer but our consumption of alcohol is increasing –
in 2010 it was 145% higher than the average amount
drank in 1960. Irish people drink more than the
European average, which stands at 11 litres of pure
alcohol per person per year.”
To speak to a cancer nurse on any aspect of cancer,
contact the Cancer Nurseline on Freephone 1800 200
700, email cancernurseline@irishcancer.ie or drop
into a Daffodil Centre in hospitals nationwide.
Visit www.cancer.ie for cancer information and
support services.
62
IPUREVIEW FEBRUARY 2017