§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to implement the prostate cancer public awareness programme proposed as part of the NHS Prostate Cancer Programme launched in September 2002. [89656]
§ Ms BlearsThe national health service prostate cancer programme stated that an education programme for the public, patients and professionals on the risks associated with individual testing for prostate cancer will be introduced. This has been achieved through the prostate 141W cancer risk management programme, which sent out evidence-based primary care resource packs to all general practitioners in England from 23 September 2002 to aid them in counselling men who are worried about prostate cancer. This ensures that men make an informed choice about whether or not to have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test based on an information leaflet developed specifically for men about the advantages and disadvantages of having a PSA test.
The Department of Health is funding a Section 64 grant to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase further information about prostate cancer. This is supporting the creation, review, provision and dissemination of a range of awareness material, supported by £135,000 over three years.
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he estimates that the prostate cancer five year survival rate in England will reach the current European average. [89659]
§ Ms BlearsThe actions set out in the National Health Service Cancer Plan will mean that England will have the fastest improvement in cancer services across Europe over the next five years and eventually a reduction in the death rate from cancer among people aged under 75 years by at least 20 per cent. by 2010. The NHS prostate cancer programme sets out the specific action proposed for prostate cancer.
European comparisons of cancer survival rates require careful interpretation, especially for prostate cancer, where differing levels of prostate specific antigen testing affect the numbers of men identified with the disease and where a significant proportion of men with prostate cancer will die of another cause.
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he is taking to improve the five year survival rates from prostate cancer in England; and if he will make a statement; [89680]
(2) what progress has been made towards the achievement of the Government's NHS prostate cancer programme; and if he will make a statement;[89669]
(3) what plans he has to encourage men to make more use of (a)traditional prostate cancer tests and (b) PSA tests; [89657]
(4) what action he is taking to encourage (a) more charitable funding and (b) more Government funding for research into prostate cancer.[89658]
Ms BearsGood progress has been made since the national health service prostate cancer programme was launched on 6 September 2000, setting out the Government's approach to improving prostate cancer services in England and Wales.
As part of the prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP), evidence-based primary care resource packs were sent to all general practitioners in England from 23 September 2002 to aid them in counselling men who are worried about prostate cancer, ensuring the men make an informed choice about whether or not to have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
142WOther elements of the PCRMP include ensuring that a systematic and standardised follow-up pathway is available for individuals whose test result is above the PSA threshold and action to improve the quality of laboratory testing of PSA samples. Primary care and laboratories were informed of recommendations from the scientific reference group which supports the PCRMP in September 2002.
By 2003–04 the Department of Health will be directly funding £4.2 million of research a year on prostate cancer. This is a 20-fold increase compared with 1999–2000. Two National Cancer Research Institute prostate cancer research collaboratives have been established in Newcastle and London. Funded research includes studies on various treatments for prostate cancer, improving the PSA test and ethnic differences in prostate cancer incidence. The National Cancer Research Institute considered prostate cancer as part of its Strategic Analysis in 2002, but made no specific recommendations.
The Department of Health is funding a Section 64 grant to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase further information about prostate cancer. This is supporting the creation, review, provision and dissemination of a range of awareness material, supported by £135,000 over three years.
92.4 per cent. of patients with suspected urological cancers (including prostate) were seen for their first outpatient appointment within two weeks of their general practitioner deciding they should be urgently referred, and the hospital receiving the referral within 24 hours, in April to June 2002.
The cancer services collaborative is modernising cancer care, including prostate cancer, by reducing unnecessary delays in the system for patients throughout the cancer journey.
The number of consultant urologists grew from 382 in 2000 to 427 in 2001, and is set to grow to 504 in 2005. There may be around an additional 100 trained specialists available to take up consultant posts in urology.
The National Institute of Clinical Excellence's guidance on urological cancers, including prostate cancer, entitled 'Improving Outcomes in Urological Cancers: The Manual', was published in September 2002.