Cancer Patient Partnership Working GroupNavigation

The Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group (CPPWG) was established in 2022 with the aim of enhancing the care experience and quality for cancer patients treated at the Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre.

The CPPWG consists of:

Individuals who have undergone cancer treatment at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, including Beaumont Hospital and/or St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Centre at Beaumont.
Caregivers or representatives of individuals who have undergone cancer treatment at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre.
Clinical staff and researchers from various departments within Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre.

We use the terms ‘patient partners’ and ‘patient partnership’ as we believe that the experience of patients has a very real and meaningful impact and influence on how we design, deliver and evaluate our services. Partnership means ensuring that patients and patient representatives have a meaningful voice in decisions concerning our cancer services.

What's involved in being a Patient Partner
Patient Partners are supported by our Patient Partnership Lead Caitriona Higgins and each partner is paired with a staff member.

As a Patient Partner you can choose how involved you would like to be. You may wish to be part of the Working Group and attend meetings regularly or you may wish to participate in smaller short term projects such as:
- reviewing patient information
- reviewing research proposals
- giving your opinion on proposed developments and plans
The CPPWG meet six times a year, meetings take place in Beaumont Hospital with the option to join in person or online via MS Teams. There is regular correspondence between meetings about various projects and updates.

Patient Partners are contacted via email and phone as required and we will always take your preferences into account. Your personal data will not be shared or used for purposes other than communication related to the CPPWG.
How to join the Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group

New Patient Partners are always welcome, if you like to join the Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group or you would like to find out more about the role of Patient Partners you can contact our Patient Partnership Lead

Caitriona Higgins Patient Partnership Lead

Tel: (01) 8528883

Email: caitrionahiggins@beaumont.ie
My Experience as a Patient Partner - Nicola Caul- Brennan

My name is Nicola Caul-Brennan. I’m a mammy, wife, daughter, sister, auntie, niece and a friend. I work as a Special Needs Assistant in a secondary school since 2007. I was diagnosed with Stage 2 ER+ and Her2+ breast cancer in 2019 and thank God I’ve come out the other side. I joined the group when it was set up first in January 2023. My reason for joining is to spread awareness about cancer, the supports and resources that are available before, in treatment and most importantly I think after treatment.

The group is amazing. It helps you connect with other patients and hospital staff in a way that we are working together side by side to make cancer care more nurturing, Each patient partner is given a mentor who works beside you on different projects. checks in with you and can explain or answer questions about any of the medical terminology or practices that we don’t fully understand. In turn we give our own personal feedback to the group. Examples of the projects I have been involved in to date are the Skin Cancer Education programme, the development of patient experience surveys and patient information leaflets.

I am delighted to be a patient partner representing others on the Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group. My hopes and dreams for this group is to help where I can to make the Cancer Services in Beaumont Hospital from a patient perspective Exceptional!
CPPWG initiatives and Experiences

CPPWG features in the Irish Times:

In May 2023 Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre celebrated 1 year since accreditation by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes. As part of the celebration the Cancer Centre was featured in the Irish Times Supplement. The important role of the CPPWG and the experience of some of our members featured in the supplement which you can read here

Soul Snacks – an initiative by members of the CPPWG

Soul Snacks is an innovative collaboration between patients and healthcare professionals. The “Snacks” are bite-sized pieces of information for patients undergoing treatment for cancer, those supporting them, or anyone interested in well-being. Soul Snacks emerged from a Psycho-Oncology intervention where a psychologist and a former patient recognised the lack of practical, visually exciting, and evidence-based information for patients. The information provided in Soul Snacks is based on current research and evidence, as well as patient experience…and a little bit of fun! Read more about Soul Snacks

Members of the CPPWG visit research labs

Cancer Research covers a broad spectrum from prevention to treatment and beyond. Making sure patient perspectives and experience guide the research agenda means that it has more value and relevance for patients as well as making it more meaningful for researchers. Members of The Cancer Patient Partnership Working Group (CPPWG) joined researchers in the RCSI lab in St Stephens Green who are looking into treatments for metastatic breast cancer. Read more here