Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps he is taking to increase early diagnosis rates for prostate cancer.
Minister of Health: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in Northern Ireland and often presents with no symptoms in its early stages, making timely access to appropriate assessment and diagnostic services key. Improving early diagnosis is therefore a key priority within urology services.
A number of measures are being taken to increase early diagnosis rates. Primary care plays a vital role in early detection. The Northern Ireland Cancer Network (NICaN) provides primary care suspect cancer referral guidelines and GPs are supported to undertake appropriate assessment, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and clinical examination for men with symptoms or increased risk. Regular education sessions have been delivered for GPs and primary care teams, in partnership with Health and Social Care Trusts, Macmillan GP facilitators and the NICaN, to improve recognition of potential cancer symptoms and support timely referral.
Improving access to diagnostic services is another key component. Investment in two regional, rapid diagnostics centres has created additional CT and MRI imaging capacity for cancer diagnosis with MRI sessions ringfenced at both sites specifically for pre-biopsy prostate imaging. This is an essential and recommended first step in the prostate cancer diagnostic pathway.
In addition, as part of the Elective Care Framework Implementation and Funding Plan, £7m is being invested to expand urology capacity across Health and Social Care Trusts. This investment will help to better align capacity and demand and support a reduction in waiting times for all aspects of the urology service which includes prostate cancer.
Overall, these actions reflect a multi-faceted approach to improving early diagnosis of prostate cancer, combining primary care education and engagement, enhanced diagnostic capacity and strengthening of the urology services workforce.
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