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Tuesday Volume 494 23 June 2009 No. 97 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 23 June 2009 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2009 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; Tel: 0044 (0) 208876344; e-mail: [email protected] 643 23 JUNE 2009 644 Ann Keen: From evidence, the reasons why men are House of Commons more likely to develop and, sadly, die from cancer are complex. We do know that the earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the higher the chance that it will be treated successfully. Tuesday 23 June 2009 Men are notoriously bad at taking care of themselves and tend to put off seeing their GP, which risks later The House met at half-past Two o’clock diagnosis and treatment. To mark men’s health week, and with the help of the Football Foundation, of which men constantly take notice, NHS Choices has highlighted PRAYERS five important male health issues: testicular cancer, skin cancer, mental well-being, prostate cancer and sexual dysfunction. [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr. Speaker: I was touched to receive the kind remarks of the hon. Member for Glasgow, North-West (John BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Robertson) and of the Minister. Perhaps I could just say—I hope that it is not presumptuous—that if any BROADS AUTHORITY BILL other Member was thinking of following suit, I ask him Lords amendments considered and agreed to. or her not to do so. We do want to make progress through the Order Paper. Mr. Speaker: Just before I call the opening question, I would like to ask hon. Members to keep their Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield) (Con): Will the supplementaries to one question, and I would ask that Minister indicate why the national health service is not Ministers’ replies are kept to a reasonable length. I am always prepared to give people suffering from the early determined that we make good progress through the stages of cancer the most modern, up-to-date medication, Order Paper. even if it is the most costly? Why will it not prescribe the best drug to limit the advance of cancer? Ann Keen: Our advancement in the treatment of Oral Answers to Questions cancer is well recognised in our cancer plan, but we still have to educate men and women in this country so that they go to their doctor earlier and diagnosis can be made much quicker and more effectively. That is what HEALTH we are doing through many different initiatives. The Secretary of State was asked— Mr. Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) (Lab): Does the Minister agree that although it is important that men go for early Cancer Awareness in Men advice, it is also important that they get an early correct diagnosis? I am dealing with the case of a constituent who unfortunately died after being tret for 10 months in 1. John Robertson (Glasgow, North-West) (Lab): our local South Tyneside hospital for a urine infection. What steps he plans to take to encourage men to seek He was transferred to Sunderland, where he was diagnosed medical assistance in the early stages of cancer. with prostate cancer, and he died—a tragic case. Will [281535] the Minister agree to meet me so that we can discuss the issue further, to find out how we got to this position? The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Ann Keen): If I may be permitted, I should like to Ann Keen: Yes. I am sorry about that particular congratulate you on your first Question Time, Mr. Speaker. tragedy of my hon. Friend’s constituent. The issue is so The theme of last week’s men’s health week, which we important, and I will be very happy to meet him. supported, was men’s access to health care services. We are working to improve awareness of the signs and Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): Testicular, prostate symptoms of cancer among men and women in England and skin cancers all have a good outcome, provided that and to encourage those with symptoms to seek help they are diagnosed early. The hon. Lady is quite right earlier than they currently do so. that people must see their doctors quickly and that men do not look after themselves, but what steps can she John Robertson: As the first Back Bencher to speak take over a sustained period, not just a week, to ensure today, may I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Speaker? I that there is a change of attitude and that men go to the wish you all the good luck and good will that you doctor early for diagnosis? deserve. I hope that you will receive a lot more luck and good will than some of your predecessors have received. Ann Keen: This is about education and schools getting I thank my hon. Friend for her answer. Will she through to young people about self-examination, which provide some detail and explain what she proposes to can still be done for some of the problems that affect do to fill in the gaps that mean that men seem not to go men. Through the screening programme in the national to the doctor or take advice? How can we try to get awareness and early diagnosis initiative, we are bringing them to the doctor to ensure that treatable cancer is screening closer to those concerned in many imaginative treated very quickly? Hopefully we will not then have ways. I am sure that if the hon. Gentleman looked on the deaths that we have at the moment. the NHS Choices website, he would see that. 645 Oral Answers23 JUNE 2009 Oral Answers 646 Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton, North) (Lab): Is my achieve compliance with the directive by 1 August. Two hon. Friend aware that my constituency has one of the hundred and forty-seven trusts have now reported on highest death rates from prostate cancer in the country? 6,646 rotas. Following independent scrutiny, the proposed Would she support primary care trusts in areas such as number of services for derogation is 200. I will shortly mine in understanding why the death rate is so high lay a statutory instrument before Parliament which will and, in particular, whether there is a high incidence or amend the working time regulations and set out the whether the problem is access to services and education? relevant information in detail. Ann Keen: I was unaware of the problem in my hon. James Brokenshire: What action will the Secretary of Friend’s constituency, although I would be happy to State take to deal with the significant concerns about look at it with her. The Government are committed to the impact of the working time directive? Also, given introducing screening for prostate cancer; indeed, a the picture that he has painted of the action that he has ministerial statement on prostate cancer screening was taken, why has the British Medical Association suggested made on 19 March. We have made great advancements that there is insufficient preparation in some hospitals in prostate cancer, which is good news for the men of to deal with the fall in doctors’ working hours and that our country. We now need to get that out to GPs and the funds needed for that are simply not getting to the look at their skills and training needs. front line? Mark Simmonds (Boston and Skegness) (Con): May Andy Burnham: We have taken great care to ensure I press the Minister further on prostate cancer? It is the that patient care is not disrupted by the implementation second most prevalent cancer in men in the country, of the directive. That is precisely why the statutory with 35,000 new cases diagnosed every year, yet there instrument will set out those services which will need are still wide inequalities in care and outcomes. Could more time to prepare for the full adoption of the the Minister say a little more about what specific actions working time directive. However, the hon. Gentleman and improvements she is planning in order to provide has to accept that the issue is fundamentally about greater information about prostate care, to widen access patient care. Tired doctors make more mistakes—all the to treatments such as hormone therapy and brachytherapy, evidence points to that—and I do not think that we to encourage greater provision of clinical nurse specialists want to return to the past, when junior doctors worked and to ensure the full implementation of national guidelines? up to 70 or 80 hours a week and made more mistakes than they might otherwise have made. Ann Keen: I am pleased that the House is giving this David Taylor (North-West Leicestershire) (Lab/Co-op): subject the importance that it deserves. The UK National The figures suggest that in March 78 per cent. of NHS Screening Committee is meeting today to discuss the trusts were compliant with the European working time new evidence and decide whether there is now enough directive, but that that fell to 64 per cent. in April. Will information to make a decision on screening for prostate the Secretary of State tell us what he expects the figure cancer. Should it decide that there is still insufficient to be for May, which is due to be released soon, and are information, it could commission further analysis. If we really prepared for the significant reduction that we that is the case, the committee will set a clear reporting shall see from 1 August? timetable.