History
The Bon Secours Hospital, Cork was founded by the Bon Secours Sisters in 1915, and has a history as a pioneer in the development of oncology services in Ireland, having first offered medical oncology therapies over 30 years ago. The hospital has continually developed over the past 96 years and has a proud tradition of providing patient focused acute medical care. The hospital is an academic teaching hospital of University College Cork.
Profile
The hospital is a large independent hospital containing 350 beds, catering for up to 18,200 admissions and 29,000 outpatients attendances each year. We provide a significant portion of the total acute care needs of the Cork region. We are fully accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI). We provide cancer services to a large regional catchment area. The range of services encompasses diagnosis, staging and all aspects of cancer treatment except for radiation therapy services, which are provided at a nearby tertiary referral centre. We treat a wide variety of solid and haematologic malignancies. We have an active clinical trials unit, offering a range of international and investigator-initiated studies to our patients. In-Patient Oncology Facilities are provided in a dedicated 23-bedded inpatient ward. Day Ward Oncology Facilities are provided in a dedicated 17-chair day ward.
Our consultant medical oncologists have extensive medical oncology training within Ireland and at internationally recognised cancer centres. A consultant haematologist has recently been appointed. Twenty-seven nurses are employed in the oncology in-patient and day wards. There are two oncology Liaison Nurses, and a dedicated cancer clinical trials nurse. A specialist palliative care nurse will be appointed in last quarter of 2011. In 2009 we opened a state-of-the-art specialist breast care centre. Patients are reviewed within 3 days of referral and all aspects of triple assessment are encompassed within one visit.
Specialities
The Medical Oncology department treats a wide range of malignancies including breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, upper GI cancers, genitourinary cancers, gynaecologic cancers, lymphomas and skin and soft tissue cancers. Other specialities within the centre include respiratory medicine, cardiology, endocrinology, gynaecology, psychiatry, vascular surgery, ophthalmology/ophthalmic surgery, general surgery, breast surgery, bariatric surgery, urology, orthopaedic surgery, gastroenterology, dermatology, rheumatology, neurology, ENT surgery, anaesthetics/pain medicine, plastic/reconstructive surgery, paediatrics and radiology/interventional radiology.
Palliative and Supportive Care
Palliative care is incorporated as a key component of the management of our patients. Palliative care services are provided by a designated physician based in the regional specialist palliative care centre, who provides frequent scheduled and unscheduled review of patients. A network of palliative care activities is coordinated through this regional centre, including services within our hospital as well as home care services. Continuity of palliative care is facilitated by regular formal interdisciplinary meetings attended by medical oncologists, senior ward nurses, oncology liaison nurses, pastoral care team and the palliative home care team. Additional services include multi-faith pastoral care, counselling services, support groups, and an on-site Irish Cancer Society information and support centre ("daffodil centre").
