The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on a new announcement from
the Department of Health that prostate cancer will be included in
the next round of National Clinical Audits, which for the first
time will mean that prostate cancer services, the experiences of
men with prostate cancer and the outcomes of different treatments
for the disease will be audited in England and Wales on a large
scale, monitored and made available to the public.
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity,
explains: "It is extremely pleasing to see that the Charity's call
for prostate cancer to be included in the next round of clinical
audits has been heeded. This decision stands as a testament to the
need for better information about the quality of prostate cancer
services and care provided in England and Wales. We are
encouraged that the Government has shown a firm commitment to
making this happen.
"Currently, we still do not know the best way to treat the
majority of men diagnosed with early forms of the disease. As well
as giving clinicians the opportunity to learn more from one another
and compare their performance, this clinical audit will allow us to
better understand the long-term outcomes of the different
treatments available for the disease. This will help
clinicians and men make informed decisions about the best treatment
options for them, and will lead to vital improvements in the
quality of care men with prostate cancer receive.
"We know from the success of previous audits for other common
cancers, that improvements in the quality of services and care for
men with prostate cancer should not be far behind. The audit must
get underway as swiftly as possible and we urge the Government to
quickly confirm when it will begin so that better quality care can
be rapidly delivered to men affected by the disease. We look
forward to actively supporting the implementation of this audit
over the next three years."