TSJCI Annual Report 2021

Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute Annual Report 2021 4 Directors’ Introduction It is our pleasure to introduce the 2021 annual report of the Trinity St James Cancer Institute (TSJCI). It has been a busy and productive year for this collaboration between Trinity College Dublin (TCD), St James’s Hospital (SJH) and St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (SLRON) with progress and achievements on many fronts. This report summarises key developments in the work of TSJCI as we seek to advance and support our mission of improving therapy for patients with cancer through clinical care, teaching, research and clinical trials. The organisational structure of the institute was placed on a solid footing by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2021 between TCD and SJH. This established a joint Governance Committee for TSJCI led by an independent chair, as well as an Executive Committee, two directors (Academic and Medical) and an External Advisory Board. These structures are now in place and we have been fortunate that Mr. Dermot Mc Carthy, former Secretary General to the Government and to the Department of the Taoiseach has accepted the position of Chairman of the Governance Board of TSJCI. In addition, a diverse and accomplished External Advisory Board has been constituted with a plan for initial meetings to take place in 2022. This report outlines significant developments in a variety of areas. Our clinical services continue to expand in scope, intensity and volume both in St James’s Hospital and in the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network. Having been designated the national center for CAR-T therapy, and after much preparatory work by Dr Larry Bacon and his team, the first patient received this treatment in SJH at the end of 2021. Already research studies in this promising and revolutionary modality are being undertaken jointly between staff at SJH and TCD and in-patient facilities for providing treatment are being expanded. As outlined in this report we continue to develop structures to improve clinical care in a host of areas. These include the appointment of more advanced practice nurses, the initiation in 2021 of electronic chemotherapy prescribing and monitoring through the implementation of the National Cancer Information System (NCIS) in collaboration with the NCCP, the expansion of the SABR radiation programme, and extensive ongoing work in collaboration with IMS in utilising our electronic systems to record, monitor, interrogate and report our clinical outcomes. Finally, a highlight of our efforts to improve care has been the commencement of the Volunteer programme in the Haematology Oncology Day Unit providing support and comfort to patients and staff alike.