National Clinical Cancer Care Guidelines
National Clinical Cancer Care Guidelines contributes to equal and high quality care for all patients, regardless of place of residence, gender and socio-economic status
The National Clinical Cancer Care Guidelines (in Swedish called nationella vårdprogram, abbreviated as NVP) are based on the best medical knowledge and provide recommendations on investigation, treatment, nursing, rehabilitation and follow-up of patients.
Production
There are currently about 50 care guidelines for various cancer diagnoses. There are also general care guidelines, such as cancer rehabilitation and palliative care.
The care guidelines are produced by national working groups according to an established process.
- Production. A national working group is appointed by the Confederation of Regional Cancer Centres. The working group writes the care guidelines in accordance with a template and regulatory document.
- Referral round. The care guidelines are sent for referral to professional associations and patient organisations as well as to the regions. After the referral round, the working group evaluates the responses received and revise the care guidelines.
- Establishment and publication. The national care guidelines are approved by the Confederation of Regional Cancer Centres and published.
- Implementation. As the regions are responsible for health care, compliance with the care guidelines is a recommendation, not a legal requirement. The Regional Cancer Centres work to ensure that decisions on implementation are taken in each region and support the implementation process.
- Revision. The care guidelines are reviewed at least once a year. The group assess whether anything has happened that requires a revision of the care guidelines, such as new medicines.
Follow-up
The care guidelines are monitored through the national quality registers.
National Quality Registries Cancer
Working groups
The national working groups are composed of people with expertise in the diagnosis in question. The roles in the working groups are:
- a chairperson
- a representative of each Regional Cancer Centre
- a pathologist
- a nursing representative
- one or two patient representatives
- a person responsible for liaison with the national working group on cancer medicines
- the experts needed to represent all the competencies involved in the patient's care flow.
A Regional Cancer Centre will be associated with each working group as an administrative support partner.