§ Vernon CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to increase awareness of the symptoms of prostate cancer. [117900]
§ Ms BlearsWe want men to know what their prostate gland is, what it does, and what can go wrong with it. However, we do not want to scare them, so we need to raise awareness in a responsible way. The Department has funded the following regarding public awareness
section 64 grant to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase the information available about prostate cancer;section 64 grant to the Prostate Cancer Charity to improve awareness of the risks and symptoms of prostate cancer in African and Afro-Caribbean men in Britain; andthe Database of Individual Patient Experiences (DIPEx) in prostate cancer.Public awareness is a key element of the terms of reference of the newly established prostate cancer advisory group. The group is chaired by Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director. It met for the first time on 10 June 2003.
In addition, as part of the prostate cancer risk management programme, evidence-based primary care resource packs were sent to all general practitioners in England in 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.
§ Dr. StoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the membership of the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group; [117414]
(2) if he will publish the terms of reference of the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group. [117415]
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§ Ms BlearsThe prostate cancer advisory group is chaired by Professor Mike Richards and the members are:
- David Rowlands, PeASO Prostate Cancer Network;
- John Neate, Prostate Cancer Charity;
- Alan George, Coalition Against Prostate Cancer;
- Mr. Mark Fordham, Urologist;
- Mr. Roger Kochelbergh, Urologist;
- Mr. John Anderson, Urologist;
- Mr. David Gillatt, Urologist;
- Amanda Baxter, Cancer Nurse at the Royal Marsden;
- Martin Ledwick, Cancer Nurse with CancerBACUP;
- Dr. Ian Banks, GP;
- Dr. Mike Kirby, GP;
- Professor Peter Armstrong, Radiologist at St. Bartholomew's;
- Dr. Pat Harnden, Pathologist;
- Dr. Chris Parker, Oncologist;
- Dr. Heather Payne, Oncologist;
- Dr. Dan Ash, President of the Royal College of Radiologists;
- Dr. Noel Clarke, Oncologist;
- Dr. Jane Melia, Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit;
- Professor Colin Cooper, Researcher at the Institute of Cancer Research;
- Professor David Neal, Research;
- Tim Elliott, Department of Health, Cancer Policy Team, Secretariat:
- Dr. Helen Cambell, NHS R&D Programme;
- Dr. Graham Cadwallader, National Cancer Research Institute; and
- Julietta Patnick, NHS Cancer Screening Programmes.
Terms of reference for the prostate cancer advisory group are:
to review progress in implementation of the prostate cancer elements of the NHS Cancer Plan and the NHS Prostate Cancer Programme and the effectiveness of current delivery of diagnostic, treatment and palliative care services;to advise on future policy programmes and priorities to tackle prostate cancer, including the implementation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance on improving outcomes in urological cancers, the assessment of future resource needs and the improvement of information sharing on all aspects of prostate cancer;to advise on future public awareness programmes on prostate cancer;to advise on future research priorities and the implications of research results for poky on prostate cancer; andto consider and advise as appropriate on the development of the prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP), taking on board advice from the PCRMP scientific reference group.