Over the past eighteen months there have been a significant number of changes both nationally and locally that are going to impact on the development and operation of the Hope Cancer Support Centre CLG.  At a national level the developments in the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) which is an arm of the Health Service Executive, established in 2007 to ensure that all elements of national cancer policy are delivered to the maximum possible extent. NCCP continues to reorganise cancer services to achieve better outcomes for patients.  This includes oversight of all local cancer support services.  Alongside this is the increased oversight of the Charities Regulator and the governance code that we have signed up to, which ensures that the Board of Directors are carrying out their fiduciary duties that ensure that we are operating towards meeting the following;

  • Advancing charitable purpose
  • Behaving with integrity
  • Leading people
  • Exercising control
  • Working effectively
  • Being accountable.

 

A key element towards ensuring this is the need for a Strategic Plan for a 5 year period which sets out the major goals of the organisation over a set timeframe.  Such a plan can be further broken down into short, medium and long term goals within that period.

You may be aware that the Hope Cancer Support Centre CLG has acquired another building, next door to our current location on Weafer Street in Enniscorthy.  It would be remiss of us to try and undertake a project of amalgamating these two buildings without having a plan as to how we will do this.  The Board of Directors are currently working on developing such a strategic plan, the first element of which is a consultation process.  To date we have written to all Oncology Consultants in the region, all General Practitioners in the Wexford County and the General Managers of Acute Hospital services in Wexford General Hospital and University Hospital Waterford.  I addition to this we have consulted with the NCCP, clients of our centre, staff, volunteers and information is outlined below as to how you as members of the general public without whom we could not remain open can contribute.  This is the first time such an extensive consultation process has been undertaken by the charity and it is important that we hear the views of as diverse a grouping as possible as this strategic will have an impact on how the centre will be able to provide services for the people of County Wexford over the next twenty years.

There are a number of ways for you to contribute to the consultation process: