In 2017 the 1st Cytotoxic Exposure Management Conference was held at The Royal Marsden Cancer Hospital, London. Over the subsequent years new research studies have been undertaken, and there have been recently published guidance such as the ISOPP Standards for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxics (2022), the ETUI List of Hazardous Medicinal Products (2022) and most recently, the EU Commission's Guidance for the Safe Handling of Hazardous Medicinal Products published on 28th April 2023. It was therefore well overdue that a second International conference on the important topic of occupational health & safety when working with hazardous drugs and materials, took place.
The conference Hazardous Drugs: Best Practice for Nurses and Healthcare Institutions was held at Wellcome Collection, London on April 21st 2023, attended by Clinical Governance Directors, Cancer Services Directors. Lead Cancer Nurses, Pharmacists and healthcare policy makers from across the EU and the UK and was supported by exhibiting companies at the forefront of healthcare hazardous drug safety. The film of the day's event will be available at www.safercancercare.com
The expert speakers were:
Chair - Paul Sessink, Exposure Control, Sweden
Paul Sessink
Paul is an internationally renowned researcher & co-author of 40 scientific publications regarding environmental and biological monitoring of occupational exposure to hazardous drugs.
Seth Eisenberg, Oncology Nursing Lecturer, USA
Seth has been practicing as an Oncology Certified nurse since 1983. He has spent the last 25 years promoting hazardous drug safety as an international lecturer, nurse researcher, and author of several articles and book chapters, including the Oncology Nursing Society's Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs. Seth presented ‘Nursing & Hazardous Drug Safety: A U.S. perspective on implementing mandatory guidance for safe oncology nursing.’
Ian Lindsley, Secretary of the European Biosafety Network
Ian is Secretary of the European Biosafety Network and co-author of the ETUI (European Trade Union Institute) List of Hazardous Medicinal Products 2022, which is the only list utilising the 2022 EU definition of HMPs and is also included in the 2023 EU guidelines. Ian presented ‘Background to the issue of occupational exposure to hazardous medicinal products (HMPs), recent legislative, other requirements, measures to prevent exposure of healthcare workers and the ETUI list of HMPs’.
Karen Campbell, is an Associate Professor at Edinburgh Napier University
Karen is Head of Learning and Teaching in the School of Health and Social care. She has led programmes of cancer research and currently UKONS grant research on the ‘perceptions and experiences of exposure to cytotoxic chemotherapy’ an overview of which she presented at conference.
Elisa Mills, National Quality Lead, Cancer Services Nuffield Health Group, UK
Elisa is the National Lead for Cancer Services at Nuffield Health, managing best practice, quality, safety and cancer strategy for the organisation. Elisa is a registered nurse since 2004 working within cancer services both for NHS and independent sector providers.
Anki Delin Eriksson, Quality & Safety Improvement Lead, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden
Anki is a specialist nurse with a master’s degree in oncology care. She works with quality and safety development within the Department of Oncology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. She is a leading figure within the Regional Cancer Centres in Sweden, where she focuses on education in safety handling of hazardous drugs. Anki presented ‘The Swedish National Working Group training, challenges, and success factors for safer hazardous drug administration.’
In 2024, the third conference will be held in Europe with date and venue to be confirmed.
Twitter: @SaferCancerCare
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazardous-drugs-best-practice-nursing-conference-london-656281263/
Web: www.safecancercare.com