What is NICaN?
The Northern Ireland Cancer Network (NICaN) is a strategic clinical network that brings together those who use, provide and commission services to make improvements in patient pathways using an integrated, whole system approach.
We do not actively deliver patient care but work in collaboration with Health and Social Care organisations, academic organisations, charities, cancer specialists and service users, to improve cancer services. Our focus is on delivering safe and effective care, improving cancer clinical outcomes and enhancing patients and carers experience and quality of life.
Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs) form the clinical structure of NICaN. They have a diverse membership drawn from multidisciplinary teams covering primary, secondary and tertiary care who care for patients within individual cancer sites across Northern Ireland.
Each CRG acts as a resource for consultation and advice on clinical guidelines and supports the regional work programme, aiming to enhance patient experience through collaboration, sharing best practice and highlighting areas of service improvement.
NICaN supports our members to:
- deliver cancer services that are evidence based
- ensure equity of access and quality of cancer services for the population of Northern Ireland
- encourage innovation in how services are provided now and in the future.
- provide clinical advice and leadership to support decision making and strategic planning