Prostate Cancer: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36892 on Prostate Cancer: Health Services, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) time taken and (b) effectiveness of treatment delivered for patents diagnosed with prostate cancer in Devon.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
Routine Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing is not offered on the National Health Service, although men aged 50 years old or over can ask their general practitioner for a PSA test, even if they do not have symptoms. This applies to anyone aged 50 years old or over in any part of England.
The NHS England Cancer Programme has commissioned clinical cancer audits, including for prostate cancer, which provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary. These audits will help NHS England understand where to increase the consistency of access to treatments and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients. The audits are ongoing and will act on their findings in due course.
However, we recognise that patients are often waiting longer than they should for cancer treatment and services. The National Cancer Plan will highlight how we will improve diagnosis rates and the effectiveness of treatment for people across England, including in Devon.
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