The Canadian Partnership for Quality Radiotherapy

CAPCA and CPQR are pleased to announce that effective October 1, 2021, CPQR will become a standing committee within CAPCA. This is an important step to sustaining radiation treatment quality improvement advances made over the last 10 years, improving clinical outcomes through radiation treatment innovation and strengthening system performance.

CAPCA’s new Canadian Partnership for Quality Radiotherapy Committee (CPQR Committee) will serve as a pan-Canadian radiation treatment network hub and provide direct stewardship of programmatic quality guidance and national radiation treatment incident reporting. CPQR membership will continue to be multi-disciplinary, pan-Canadian and will bring forth the patient perspective.

CAPCA is uniquely positioned to strengthen radiation treatment quality initiatives through a multi-disciplinary collaboration. With members representing all 10 provinces, CAPCA also has established partnerships with organizations that play an important role in supporting radiation treatment and cancer service planning and delivery.

Partners include: Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO), the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP), the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT), the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) and CIHI.

CARO’s commitment to high quality patient-centred care is reflected in its new role as steward of the patient-centred programs. CARO’s efforts will further enhance and promote the integration of CPQR’s patient engagement, education and outcome guidance into professional practice across the country.

COMP is recognized for its collaboration with national stakeholders to develop guidelines that enhance the quality and safety of radiation treatment delivery, and played an integral role in the development of CPQR’s suite of Technical Quality Control Guidelines. COMP’s role as the new steward of these guidelines will ensure they remain up-to-date and will drive uptake by the Canadian radiation treatment programs.

CAPCA’s new CPQR Committee will ensure that Canada remains at the forefront of radiation treatment planning and delivery through driving practice harmonization, improving quality and patient safety, and supporting equitable access to care for all Canadians.