Regional Partners

In 2004, Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) was reorganized and operational responsibility for the delivery of cancer services through the network of regional cancer centres in Ontario was transferred from CCO to the host hospitals of the regional centres.

Each of the regional cancer centres, now called programs, was asked to undertake a strategic planning process. The Southwest Ontario plan identified many system issues and a proposal was put forward to develop a collaborative, partnership-based approach to bring leadership to system-wide decision-making and priority setting. CCO gave Southwest Ontario the green light to proceed with developing the Regional Cancer Services Alliance (RCSA).

The scope of the Southwest RCSA is the referral catchment area of the LRCP, which includes cancer services in the following municipal county areas: Oxford, Elgin, Middlesex, Huron, Perth, Grey, Bruce, Lambton and Chatham-Kent.

In terms of LHIN boundaries, this translates into the SWO LHIN (LHIN 2) and the eastern portion of the Erie St. Clair LHIN (LHIN 1).

An Interim Executive Committee was formed to bring effective executive leadership to the integration and delivery of cancer services in SWO; to develop collaborative working relationships with other cancer and cancer-related initiatives outside SWO; and to serve as communication and liaison links with the broader constituency of which they are part.

The Southwest RCSA will coordinate and implement a continuum of cancer services and programs, including: