Prostate cancer healthcare lottery

New figures reveal ‘healthcare lottery’ facing men with prostate cancer in the North West
A man’s chances of dying from prostate cancer – the most common cancer in men – vary according to his postcode in the North West, new figures revealed by The Prostate Cancer Charity show.

Over 9,000 men, including the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Keith Swift, are living with prostate cancer in the North West and the inequalities surrounding death rates facing men with prostate cancer were uncovered following new data from the Office of National Statistics, which depict a ‘healthcare lottery’ where the death rate in Sefton stands at 25% above the average, while figures for Trafford sit at 25% below the average in England.

Death rates from the disease are notably higher than average at one in ten Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England and, worryingly, the data also revealed that the gap between the highest and lowest performing Trusts is widening.

One man every hour dies from prostate cancer in the UK and overall deaths from the disease have not reduced for a number of years. Sixteen of the 152 Primary Care Trusts in England have death rates from prostate cancer which are troublingly above the average rate of 24 deaths per 100,000 of the population.

Commenting on the figures, John Neate, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, explains: “These new figures are of particular interest as they show a strong imbalance in death rates for men with prostate cancer across the country. While we can be encouraged that prostate cancer services have improved in recent years, this new data underlines that there is still much to be done in tackling the many inequities men with prostate cancer can face.

“Although it is not completely clear why these variations in death rates exist, we know that there are some key areas where rapid changes are needed to help improve a man’s chances of being successfully treated for the disease. By ensuring every man has the opportunity to make an informed choice about having a PSA test, which can give early indication of possible prostate cancer, and can then access a range of effective treatment options, we hope that many more men will survive their cancer.

“In the meantime, it is totally unacceptable that men living with the disease have to face such a huge disparity in death rates from prostate cancer in England and it is imperative that these issues are urgently addressed by the NHS, particularly at a local level.”

In response to these figures, the Charity is calling on all candidates standing in the General Election to back its pledge to improve prostate cancer services across the UK. Men with prostate cancer report the worst NHS experience of all common cancers and the Charity is asking for a firm commitment from candidates to ensure that the Primary Care Trusts in their area provide the full range of effective treatment options and support services for men with prostate cancer.

“To have a system where a man’s likelihood of surviving his prostate cancer is linked to his postcode is clearly not equitable. Those men living in areas of high mortality must be sure that their local healthcare provider is doing all it can to improve services. Prostate cancer is a disease which can no longer be ignored and we are calling on every political party to take action to reduce the inequalities facing men living with this disease. Every man affected by prostate cancer must have equal access to world class services – regardless of where they live in the country,” Mr Neate added.