People Affected by Prostate Cancer Can Have Their Say

MSP Bill Walker has called on Dunfermline people affected by prostate cancer to provide feedback on a draft set of standards for quality prostate cancer care.

The Prostate Cancer Charity compiled the standards and is now requesting feedback from men affected by prostate cancer, as well as partners and healthcare professionals, to ensure the draft accurately reflects the needs of the men.

Once finalised, the charity will ask the Scottish Government to implement the standards across the country, so that men have the same expectations of care wherever they live.

Mr Walker said: “For some years, I’ve been a firm supporter of the Prostate Cancer Charity and regularly wear my ‘wee blue man’ lapel badge. 

“Every day two men die in Scotland from prostate cancer, a grim statistic — prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men.  I fully believe in national standards of care and think it’s essential that people affected by prostate cancer, directly and indirectly, should have this chance to voice what they need and expect from the health service.”

Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: “It’s fantastic that Bill Walker has backed our call, and I look forward to working with him over the months ahead to make this a reality.

“We need national standards of quality prostate cancer care in Scotland to ensure that healthcare providers and NHS staff know exactly what services and level of care they should be providing to patients. We also need to ensure that men who have, or are concerned about, prostate cancer know exactly what level of care and support they are entitled to receive.

“Before we finalise our standards we need to be absolutely clear that they reflect what men with prostate cancer want – which is why we want to hear from as many people with experience of the disease as possible.”

To view The Prostate Cancer Charity’s draft standards and to provide feedback, please visit: www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/takeaction.

Alternatively, call 0141 314 0050 to receive a hard copy by post.

Parliamentary supporters of the prostate cancer awareness event, Movember, in 2011 (Bill Walker, left, light grey jacket)