Prof. Rev. George Samoutis MD, PhD, CCT, PGCert HBE (UK)
Chairman, NCCE Coordination Committee

The National Centre for Clinical Evidence and Quality in Healthcare (NCCE) is a flagship strategic initiative of the Cyprus Government, established to strengthen the sustainability, quality and safety of healthcare in Cyprus through the systematic implementation of evidence-based medicine (EBM).

The NCCE leads the national development of clinical guidelines, protocols and care pathways, and supports clinicians across all levels of care with internationally recognised evidence resources—most notably through its strategic collaboration with the BMJ Group.

Vision

To be the leading national center of excellence, driving a culture of continuous quality improvement and evidence-based practice across all levels of Cyprus healthcare, ensuring the best possible health outcomes for the population.

Mission

The mission of the National Centre for Clinical Excellence (NCCE) is to promote, facilitate, and assure high-quality and safe healthcare in Cyprus by:

• Developing and disseminating robust, evidence-based clinical guidelines and protocols.
• Implementing and overseeing comprehensive clinical audit programs to monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Conducting structured inspections and assessments of healthcare providers to ensure compliance with national quality and safety standards.
• Evaluating the clinical and economic impact of new health technologies through rigorous Health Technology Assessment (HTA).
• Establishing an online education platform for healthcare professionals and patients with interactive courses and seamless access to key clinical decision support systems, such as BMJ Best Practice, to provide targeted, high-quality education and training.
• Providing targeted, high-quality education and training to healthcare professionals to enhance their knowledge, skills, and commitment to evidence-based practice.

Key features of the NCCE Clinical Guidelines Initiative

Objectives

The primary aims are to enhance patient outcomes, diminish unwarranted clinical variation, and embed continuous quality monitoring through formalized processes such as clinical audit, peer review, and outcomes benchmarking.

Establishment and Scope

As a component of a significant national healthcare reform effort, the NCCE is currently developing approximately 90 Cyprus-specific clinical instruments. These tools are being co-created with frontline clinicians and professional bodies, with a specific focus on high-impact, high-volume clinical conditions pertinent to routine practice.

Core Functions

The Centre is responsible for overseeing pharmaceutical and therapeutic protocols and spearheading the systematic adoption of evidence-based clinical practice across all services. A particular emphasis is placed on effective implementation and alignment within the General Health System (GeSY).

International Collaboration

The BMJ Group functions as a strategic partner in the establishment of the Centre and in the development, localisation, and continual updating of high-quality, evidence-based clinical tools.

Digital Integration

A dedicated digital platform is utilized to integrate national guidelines directly into daily clinical workflows. This integration facilitates faster, more consistent, and clinically reliable decision-making at the point of care, while also supporting real-time access to the best available evidence.

Commitment to Patient-Centered, Humanistic Care

The NCCE fundamentally believes that high-quality care is inseparable from compassionate, humanistic practice. To this end, our initiatives are anchored in the following principles:

• Patient and Public Involvement: Clinical guidelines and care pathways are developed with direct input from the Cyprus Patients Association, ensuring that patient experiences, values, and preferences are central to all national recommendations.
• Ethical and Bioethical Oversight: The NCCE collaborates closely with the Cyprus Bioethics Committee to integrate ethical considerations into all clinical instruments and technology assessments, ensuring respect for human dignity and autonomy.
• Focus on Communication and Shared Decision-Making: Education and training programs for healthcare professionals place a high priority on enhancing communication skills to facilitate genuine shared decision-making between clinician and patient.
• Addressing the Full Spectrum of Care: Our efforts extend beyond technical clinical outcomes to focus on aspects of care that impact a patient's quality of life, including empathy, whole person support, and respectful interactions within Cyprus healthcare. 

National impact and Recognition

The NCCE is widely recognised as the second most significant healthcare reform in Cyprus, following the introduction of the General Health System, and represents a cornerstone for the delivery of high-quality, standardised and evidence-driven healthcare services nationwide.

Acknowledgements 

As Chairman of the NCCE Coordination Committee, I would like to express my profound gratitude to all committee members for their dedicated and invaluable volunteer contributions, commitment, and collaborative spirit. Since 2019, our team has operated intensively on a volunteer basis, with personnel support from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and no dedicated budget.

 
Cyprus Medical Association – 
Dr. Petros Agathaggelou, Katerina Christophidou

 
Cyprus Patients Association – 
Marios Kouloumas

 
Ministry of Health –
Dr. Mary Kyriakou,
Andreas Charalambous,
Michalis Antoniou

 
Cyprus Health Insurance Organisation –
Dr. Monika Kyriakou

 
Cyprus Nursing and Midwives Association –
Theocharis Ioannou

 
Cyprus Bioethics Committee –
Prof Constantinos Phellas

 
Cyprus Academia – 
Deans of Cyprus-based Universities

 
National eHealth Authority – 
Prof. Costas Pattichis

 
External Scientific Expert – 
Prof. Christos Lionis

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the BMJ Group, and in particular to Kieran Walsh, Clinical Director BMJ Group, Theodoros Kyprianou (Clinical Lead for Guidelines Development) and his team, for their outstanding professionalism and the highly productive collaboration that has supported the development and successful implementation of this national initiative.

 
Thank you.