Terms of Reference

1. Mandate
The Supportive Care Committee (SCC) advises the CARO Board of Directors on the clinical, research and educational domains of supportive care relevant to the practice of radiation oncology, and it provides a forum for CARO members to collaborate and develop expertise within these domains.

2. Objectives
– Advise the CARO Board of Directors on the current status of-, knowledge gaps in-, and opportunities for CARO members within the clinical, research and educational domains of supportive care.
– Maintain an index of resources relevant to supportive care in radiation oncology (e.g. clinical practice guidelines for palliative radiation therapy and symptom control measures).
– Maintain an index of ongoing supportive care research activities in Canada.
– Develop and maintain relationships with associations and committees with shared interests in supportive care (e.g. CCTG Supportive Care Committee).
– Manage meetings of the Canadian Palliative Radiation Oncology Group (CPROG) and maintain an index of archived CPROG meeting materials.
– Advise the Education Committee and Program Director’s Committee on developments in supportive care relevant to resident education.
– Select the winner of the Supportive Care Award at the ASM.

3. Membership
– Chair (typically a senior member)
– Co-Chair (typically a junior member)
– One radiation oncologist representative from each of:
o BC
o AB/SK/MB
o ON
o QC
o NB/PE/NS/NL
– One resident/fellow representative
– One radiation therapist and/or medical physicist representative

4. Terms of Office
The SCC will present names of individuals applying for- or withdrawing from SCC committee positions to the CARO Board of Directors for approval. Terms of office for the Chair and Co-Chair commence with the announcement of their appointments at the ASM. A term of office for a Chair or Co-Chair is up to three years. A member may be appointed for additional successive terms to these positions if necessary to ensure adequate membership representation or to provide specific expertise at the discretion of the CARO Board of Directors.
v.21-Apr-2023

5. Reporting Relationships
The SCC reports to the CARO Board of Directors. The SCC will provide an annual written report on committee activities prior to the ASM.

6. Liasons
The SCC will liaise with all CARO committees as required.

7. Meetings
The SCC will meet to discuss core activities two-three times yearly, with one of these meetings being at the ASM. Meetings may be virtual or in-person. The agendas for these meetings will be developed by the Chair with input from other committee members and will be circulated at least one week in advance of meetings. The SCC will meet otherwise near-monthly during CPROG virtual meetings.

8. Financial Arrangements
SCC members shall declare any potential conflicts of interest. No committee member shall be remunerated for being or acting as a committee member. CARO will provide support towards SCC meetings held at the ASM or to CARO representatives travelling on pre-approved business that is not otherwise supported.

9. Bylaws
The SCC is governed by the CARO bylaws.

Approved by Board of Directors 2023