CCLG have endorsed these standards to demonstrate international support for their adoption in all institutions caring for children and young people with cancer.
SIOP’s vision is that all children and young adults have access to state-of-the-art treatment and care, and that no child should die of cancer. You are aware that the survival of children with cancer in high-income countries is now almost 80%; however the majority of children with cancer live in LMICs, and their chances of survival are often less than 20%.
Expert paediatric oncology nurses are recognised as fundamental to providing high quality, safe and effective care. Nursing quality assessments from paediatric oncology units in LMIC consistently document a lack of specialised nursing education, adequate nurse staffing levels and the basic resources for nursing care.
The SIOP PODC Baseline Standards reflect the elements of quality nursing care essential to promote optimal patient outcomes and were published as a ‘Position Statement’ in the Lancet Oncology in June 2014; the SIOP Board has endorsed the standards.
The Baseline Standards have been well received by individuals and organisations working with children with cancer in LMIC settings who look for international support in improving their nursing care. Organisations that have already endorsed the Baseline Standards include Childhood Cancer International, the Association of Paediatric Haematology Oncology Nurses in the United States of America, the Philippines Nursing Association and World Child Cancer. Further work is underway to develop an instrument with measurable criteria for each standard, in order to promote their use to support access to high-quality nursing care across the world.