News

April 2010

NHS Improvement - Rapid review of current service provision following cancer treatment

NHS Improvement carried out a rapid review of current provision of services for breast, prostate and colorectal cancer patients following treatment during the summer of 2009 at the request of the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI).

The purpose of this rapid review was two-fold;

To provide a baseline across England to establish what services are currently provided to patients following their treatment for cancer
To capture any innovative practice within the service
Read the report

Visit the NHS Improvement website for further information

Policy and Campaigns

June 2009

Hampered by hormones?

Addressing the needs of men with prostate cancer

The Prostate Cancer Charity has launched the Hampered by hormones? campaign to address the needs of men (and the partners of men) receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer.

Hormone therapy is a common treatment for prostate cancer. Nine thousand newly diagnosed men, as well as many men with an existing prostate cancer diagnosis receive hormone therapy each year in the UK.

There are a range of side effects associated with hormone therapy that can have a significant impact on the daily lives of men, their relationships and mental wellbeing. However, research undertaken by the Charity has found that over half of men receiving hormone therapy are not receiving enough information and support to help them cope with the impact that these side effects have on their lives.

Improvements in the provision of information and support to men are urgently needed to ensure that all men taking hormone therapy receive a high standard of care.

The Prostate Cancer Charity has developed a set of recommendations to improve the information, support and care provided to men receiving hormone therapy and their partners.

Key campaign recommendations

All men receiving hormone therapy should be given verbal and written information about how they can manage the side effects of the treatment and where to go to receive support for these effects.
All men receiving hormone therapy should be regularly assessed for the side effects of the treatment and associated support needs.
Appropriate medical interventions and support services that can help men manage the side effects of hormone therapy should be made available to men across the UK.
The Charity is calling on Government and the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative to review the campaign research findings and recommendations and take action to improve the support and information provided to men receiving hormone therapy in accordance with the Charity’s recommendations.

How you can help as a healthcare professional:

Review the information and support available for men receiving hormone therapy (and their partners) in your area.
Ensure men receiving hormone therapy receive the new booklet from The Prostate Cancer Charity Living with hormone therapy: a guide for men with prostate cancer.

Further information:

For more information on the Hampered by hormones? campaign including the full research findings and recommendations visit www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/hormones

February 2008

Urgent call for specialist nurses

The Prostate Cancer Charity calls for urgent action to address inadequate access to specialist nurses

The Prostate Cancer Charity welcomes the findings of the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action report, Because men matter – the case for clinical nurse specialists in prostate cancer.

Ruth Holdaway, Director of Operations at The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "This report highlights the need for urgent action to address the stark inequalities in provision of prostate cancer clinical nurse specialists."

She continued: "The report highlights the true extent of lack of access to prostate cancer clinical nurse specialists. It is unacceptable that clinical nurse specialists for men with prostate cancer on average have double the workload of newly diagnosed patients compared with breast cancer nurses. Breast care services have led the way and the Government now must address this deficit in prostate cancer care.

"From the Charity’s own evidence and in response to the findings of this report, The Prostate Cancer Charity has worked with educational partners to develop an on-line prostate cancer course and a two day Masterclass programme for nurses with a specialist interest in prostate cancer.

"Every year 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK and specialist nurses play an essential role in their care and support. The Prostate Cancer Charity calls on the NHS to act on the recommendations of this report to double the number of specialist nurses working in prostate cancer, to reform their working practices and to provide tailored training and professional development for these key health care professionals."

Notes to editors

Because men matter – the case for clinical nurse specialists in prostate cancer is available for download. Hard copies are available on request.
The Prostate Cancer Charter for Action is the leading campaigning group on the disease. It is made up of charities, patient groups and professional organisations with a commitment to tackling the disease.
The signatories of the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action are: British Association of Urological Nurses, British Association of Urological Surgeons, British Prostate Group, British Urological Foundation, British Uro-oncology Group, Cambridge Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Research UK, Cancerbackup, Help the Aged, Institute of Cancer Research, Macmillan Cancer Support, Men’s Health Forum, Men’s Health Forum – Scotland, PCaSO Prostate Cancer Network, Pro Cancer Research Fund, Progress, Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Prostate UK, Prostate Support, Tenovus, The Orchid Cancer Appeal, The Prostate Cancer Charity, The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation, The Scottish Association of Prostate Cancer Support Groups.

Mick Barrow, diagnosed with prostate cancer 4 years ago

"I was devastated to be diagnosed with advanced and aggressive prostate cancer - it was a complete shock. Fortunately I had an extremely experienced, helpful and understanding specialist nurse who got me and my family through that difficult time.

"Unfortunately I then learned that my specialist nurse's job was under threat. I still had a lot to come to terms with and an uncertain future, the added strain of not knowing how long my specialist nurse would be in position to support me and then losing her because of NHS cuts was really hard.

"I am extremely lucky to have a supportive family but a lot of fellas don’t have anyone who they can talk these things through with. For them, support from a specialist nurse would be particularly crucial."

National Guidance

January 2010

Urology Informed Decision Making Project

The Urology Decision Support programme establishes a new approach to support men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH or enlarged prostate) that focuses on helping them to make difficult decisions about which treatment to choose.

Urology is the first specialty in the UK to develop decision support materials for patients to help them make difficult choices between treatment options when there is no evidence that one treatment is more effective than another, but each has different side effects. There are approximately 34,000 new diagnoses of prostate cancer each year, and over half of men in their 60s and most men over 70 have some symptoms of BPH.

Find out more about the project.

July 2008

The Prostate Cancer Charity wins place on DH Information Accreditation pilot scheme

The Prostate Cancer Charity has been chosen by the Department of Health to participate in the testing phase of its new information accreditation scheme. This scheme aims to standardise the quality of health information and provide a way for the public and professionals to know that the information they are using is reliable. We are delighted that we have been selected to be a pilot site to test the scheme alongside others from the commercial, public and voluntary sectors.

The Department of Health received over 120 applications and we are one of the 40 organisations selected. Over the next few months we will be involved in testing the quality standard, sharing our experiences of taking part in the scheme with other organisations and helping to develop the visual identity of the quality mark. The scheme will be rolled out in 2009. More information about the scheme is available at www.dh.gov.uk/accreditation

NICE clarify guidelines on cryotherapy

NICE have added the following information to the audit support and implementation advice that support their prostate cancer clinical guideline:

‘The guideline development group considered that the evidence base, on quality of life benefits and long-term survival, was insufficient to place cryotherapy in the pathway of care for men with prostate cancer. They recommended that further research is required, comparing cryotherapy with established interventions in the context of controlled clinical. NICE has been in discussion with Industry, the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) and the Health Technology Assessment programme of the National Institute for Health Research to identify a way forward. It is anticipated that a national data collection will be established and surgeons wishing to undertake this procedure will be expected to contribute to the evidence base. The design and nature of this national study will be discussed with the BAUS. At the present time if surgeons are collecting local data that will be available for national analysis then this should be considered in accordance with the NICE guideline.’

You can view the full guideline and supporting documents on the NICE website.

March 2008

NICE is recruiting new members to independent advisory committees on the use of health technologies

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is recruiting new members to its independent advisory Appraisal Committee. The Appraisal Committee formulates recommendations for NICE on the use of drugs and devices in the NHS in England and Wales. The Institute is looking to recruit a range of committee members. Members of the Committee are drawn from the NHS, healthcare professionals, patients and carers, and the academic world.

The Appraisal Committee considers and interprets evidence on the clinical and cost effectiveness of health technologies (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, surgical procedures, diagnostic procedures and health promotion interventions), and formulates recommendations for NICE on their use.

NICE are looking to recruit individuals who have the experience and commitment to help the Institute take some of the most difficult decisions in public life, and in doing so to contribute to improving the quality and consistency of care provided by the NHS.

Individuals who are interested in joining the Appraisal Committee should log on to the Institute's website for information and an application pack. Applications should be made by 31st March 2008.

February 2008

NICE Guidelines for men with Prostate Cancer welcomed

Guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for the care and treatment of men diagnosed with prostate cancer have been welcomed by The Prostate Cancer Charity.

John Neate, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "The care and treatment of men with prostate cancer is fraught with inconsistency and varied practice amongst doctors – not surprising given that evidence on the effectiveness of the various treatments available is often equivocal. The guidelines are an important attempt to clarify this evidence and to reduce the uncertainty into which men diagnosed with the disease can so easily fall.

"Implementation of the guidelines is critical, particularly with regards to the central role of information and communication for men affected by prostate cancer and their families, something often marginalised in favour of debates solely about treatment. Men need accurate and adequate information in order to make informed decisions about their treatment options, yet we know from survey reports from the National Audit Office* and from The Prostate Cancer Charity that there are major gaps in this area.

* NAO Report – Tackling Cancer: Improving the Patient Journey (25 February 2005).

Charter report reveals inequalities in the provision of Clinical Nurse Specialists

The Prostate Cancer Charter for Action has published a new expert report, Because Men Matter - the case for clinical nurse specialists in prostate cancer, which reveals the inequalities in the provision of clinical nurse specialists to support men with prostate cancer.

John Neate, CEO and Georgia Diebel, Health Services Liaison Manager, from The Prostate Cancer Charity, have been members of the expert working party.

Charity news archive

September 2009

The Charity’s information team scoops BMA award for PSA and beyond: a guide for men concerned about prostate cancer

The Charity's information booklet, PSA and beyond: a guide for men concerned about prostate cancer received the Patient Information Award for Men's Health at the BMA Medical Book Competition awards ceremony in London on the 8th September 2009.

The booklet, created to help men to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the PSA test, was selected from hundreds of entries to win the award. This is the second consecutive winning year for the Charity, picking up the award last year for the booklet Prostate cancer: a guide for newly diagnosed men.

Judge’s comments: “Brilliant. This is really well written, organised and presented. I am a middle-aged man and wasn’t looking forward to reading this, but I kept turning the pages! Well done to all involved in producing it.”

The Charity’s publications Know your prostate: A guide to common prostate problems and Know your prostate: A quick guide were also short-listed in the ‘commended’ category.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the clinical experts who reviewed the booklet. Their expertise and knowledge is crucial in ensuring we produce appropriate, clinically relevant literature that will be well received in practice.

June 2008

Support and Information Specialist Helpline Nurse to work specifically with African Caribbean communities

African Caribbean men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men (1). In the past few years, the Charity has worked with African Caribbean communities to raise awareness of prostate cancer and the heightened risk of prostate cancer for African Caribbean men.

In a new development to expand our work with this high-risk population, the Charity has appointed Suresh Rambaran as its first Support and Information Specialist Helpline Nurse to work specifically with African Caribbean communities. Suresh will be spending two days a week within African Caribbean communities around the UK. Suresh will bring his expert prostate cancer knowledge and nursing skills to this community-based role, providing prostate cancer specialist nursing input to community awareness events and representing the Charity at local and national events to promote the Charity's work with African Caribbean communities.

Suresh is no stranger to this work, having been part of the Charity's Helpline service for four years, as well as having experience of development work with African Caribbean communities on a voluntary basis and through previous roles with Cancer Black Care, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Cancerbackup and Cancer Equality. He has been involved in numerous community based initiatives such as raising BME cancer awareness and production of literature for BME communities. He is currently part of the Cancer Equality steering group for the first BME Cancer Awareness Week, to be launched in July 2008.

Suresh is keen to build relationships with health care professionals and investigate setting up working partnerships with local health care professionals and community health workers. As an experienced Support and Information Nurse in the prostate cancer field, he is able to provide fellow health care professionals with guidance on raising awareness of the increased risk amongst their African Caribbean patients; advice on making services accessible for African Caribbean communities; as well as an insight into the cultural issues and taboos that surround prostate cancer within this community.

Suresh can be contacted on: Tel: 020 8222 7662
Email: suresh.rambaran@prostate-cancer.org.uk

_{1.Ben-Shlomo Y et al. The Risk of Prostate Cancer amongst Black men in the United Kingdom: The PROCESS Cohort Study. European Urology 2008; 53: 99-105.}

April 2008

The Prostate Cancer Charity launches new booklet for newly diagnosed men

The Charity has worked with health professionals and men who have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer to produce this new interactive booklet. Designed to be given to men at the point of diagnosis, the booklet includes space for men to record contact details of their specialist team members as well as details of their diagnosis and treatment options. The booklet is free of charge. Order your copies now.

'This new booklet from The Prostate Cancer Charity is a great resource for health professionals wanting to guide their patients through the diagnostic pathway and treatment options associated with prostate cancer. I will be using the booklet with my patients to help them understand their options and to record all the details of their care that they will need after diagnosis.'
Nicola James, Macmillan Nurse Consultant; Uro-oncology, Chesterfield NHS Foundation Trust and Winner of Nursing Standard Cancer Innovation Nursing Award 2008

November 2007

Speaker from BAUS Oncology conference endorses our diet fact sheet

Dr Laurence Klotz, who presented the latest evidence on diet at the BAUS Oncology/BPG meeting on 15th November, has praised our Tool Kit fact sheet on Diet and prostate cancer. He said,

"The diet and nutrition fact sheet put together by The Prostate Cancer Charity is a superb summary. A great deal of epidemiologic and laboratory data now supports the favourable impact of dietary modification and micronutrients on prostate cancer prevention. The advice in this fact sheet accurately reflects the lessons of these scientific findings. I'd encourage any man interested in prostate cancer prevention to use them as a guide to healthier eating and a longer life."

Order your copy of the Diet Tool Kit fact sheet from our publications page

Page last updated: June 16 2010