Welcome
MP presses minister on Charter statistics in Parliament
Christopher Fraser MP raised research carried out by the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action during Health Questions in the House of Commons on 13 October 2009.
He highlighted that in at least 96 of England's 529 parliamentary constituencies, the death rate from prostate cancer is well above England's average.
Challenging the Public Health Minister Gillian Merron MP, he asked what action was being taken to tackle inequalities in prostate cancer services.
Read the full exchange here.
Charter responds to All-Party Group inquiry on cancer inequalities
The Prostate Cancer Charter for Action has responded to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer's inquiry into Cancer Inequalities.
In the submission, which you can read here, we highlight the various different inequalities which affect prostate cancer, including in relation to risk; awareness; outcome; access to high quality services; and experience of treatment and care.
Amongst our recommendations are that the concept of 'male friendly' community-based prostate health clinics should be piloted and evaluated; and that the Department of Health should require all cancer networks to report on their progress in implementing each item of Improving Outcomes Guidance (IOG) individually.
Postcode lottery in prostate cancer treatment
Men with prostate cancer are five times more likely to die in some parts of the country than others, highlighting a "postcode lottery" in NHS care, according to our latest analysis.
Figures show that men diagnosed with the condition in south east Cambridgeshire are almost five times less likely to die from the disease than those in Tottenham, north London.
For the full press release and breakdown of the figures by parliamentary constituency in England, please click here.
Statement on new data on the effectiveness of prostate cancer screening
The Prostate Cancer Charter for Action welcomes the extensive research which is being undertaken into screening for prostate cancer. Identifying a screening test which could save lives would be a vital breakthrough in the fight against this major killer.
These new data require careful analysis and reflection. The Government has always said that it will introduce screening if a suitable method is identified. We now urge the Department of Health to refer these new data to the National Screening Committee for urgent consideration.
Failure of NHS organisations to implement NICE cancer guidance costs 50 lives a week
The Prostate Cancer Charter for Action believes that improving clinical outcomes across the country so that all NHS services match the current best should be a top priority. Therefore implementing the Improving Outcomes Guidance for urological cancers is crucial. Our latest report, To what outcome?, finds that almost 2,500 deaths from cancer every year (almost 50 a week) – and 300 deaths a year from prostate cancer – could be prevented if all NHS organisations fully implemented NICE’s guidance on cancer services.
The report analyses the progress each of England’s cancer networks is making in implementing NICE’s ‘Improving Outcomes Guidance’ (or ‘IOGs’). It finds that:
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Fewer than one in four cancer networks is fully on course to implement the IOGs across all cancer types. Those cancer networks which are on course to have fully implemented the IOGs have lower mortality rates from cancer than those which are not.
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Just 9 of England’s 30 cancer networks reported that they hit the deadline for implementing the one IOG relating to urological cancers (a category of cancers which includes prostate cancer). The cancer networks which failed to hit the deadline had a mortality rate 4% higher than those which had.
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If all cancer networks achieved mortality rates from cancer as low as those which are fully on course to implements the IOGs across all cancer types, almost 2,500 (2,422) deaths a year could be prevented. Similarly, if all cancer networks achieved mortality rates from prostate cancer as low as those which had fully implemented the urological cancers IOG, over 300 (308) deaths a year from prostate cancer could be prevented.
The report can be found here. Download a copy of the Charter’s press release here.
The accompanying Early Day Motion, which can be signed by MPs, can be accessed here. Check whether your MP supports the calls and ask them to pledge their support.
Please contact the Charter on 0203 128 8138 if you have any queries.
MPs signal their support for Charter's latest calls
86 MPs have now signalled their support for the Charter's latest calls in a motion in Parliament. The motion highlights the calls, contained within the Countdown to Equality, and recognises that men with prostate cancer face significant inequalities - in awareness, quality of services, patient experience and patient outcomes. The motion urges the Government to take immediate action to implement the Charter's recommendations.
In full, the motion reads:
That this House notes that prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in men and that its incidence is set to rise still further; further notes that the deaths from prostate cancer have remained relatively stable at approximately 10,000 per year; recognises that progress has been made in improving prostate cancer services but that significant inequalities remain in awareness, quality of services, patient experience and patient outcomes; welcomes the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action's new policy calls which are intended to tackle these inequalities; and urges the Government to take immediate action to implement them.
Click here to see if your MP signed the motion and ask for their support.
Major political parties back Prostate Cancer Charter for Action's new calls
In a statement issued as the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action launched its new calls, the Cancer Minister, Ann Keen MP, said:
"The Charter's presence on the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group is a great example of what can be achieved by government working in partnership with the voluntary sectior and professionals, ensuring that the expertise of all those committed to tackling prostate cancer is harnessed for the benefit of patients.
I full support the Charter's new pledges, which are very much in line with actions outlined in the Cancer Reform Strategy, and I look forward to working with the Charter over the coming years to deliver these improvements for me with prostate cancer and their families." 
Speaking at the Charter launch, the Shadow Cancer Minister, Mark Simmonds MP, said:
"I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all the signatories for the excellent work you do in supporting men with prostate cancer. The Charter has certainly succeeded in putting prostate cancer on the political agenda and I am pleased to be able to play my part in launching the Countdown to Equality."
View photos from the launch
The Prostate Cancer Charter for Action launched the Countdown to Equality to reduce the number of men dying from prostate cancer and to improve the experience of those who develop it. We see no reason why the improvements in death rate and reported experience seen in other cancers should not be replicated in prostate cancer.
Although progress has been made, there are still too many inequalities in prostate cancer, both in terms of outcomes and the experience reported by men with the disease. We want to change this and the Countdown to Equality marks the launch of our new calls which we believe will make a real difference to the lives of all those affected by prostate cancer.
The Charter's new calls are focussed in four key areas:
1. Significantly reduce the number of men being diagnosed with prostate cancer which has already spread
2. Improve the cancer experience of men with prostate cancer to at least the level reported for other common cancers
3. Level up clinical outcomes across the country so that all NHS services match the current best
4. Plan effectively to deliver world class prostate cancer services in the future
The Countdown to Equality can be found here. Download a copy of the Charter's press release which explains some of the inequalities which we still see in prostate cancer here.
Please do contact the Charter on 0203 128 8100 if you have any queries.
The Prostate Cancer Charter for Action
The Charter was formed in January 2003 to tackle the inequalities experienced by men diagnosed with prostate cancer and campaign for a better deal for all men and their families. We have identified a series of actions which we believe would make things better. We are calling for Parliamentarians, the media and the public to Speak Out on prostate cancer, raising awareness and understanding of this major killer.
Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst men in the UK. It is also a major killer, resulting in the deaths of 10,000 men every year. Men with prostate cancer also report a significantly worse experience of their treatment and care than patients with other cancers.
For more information on prostate cancer please visit UK Prostate Link.
