Written question asked by Lord Barker of Battle (Conservative) on Tuesday, 15 October 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 November 2002. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Thursday, 7 November 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what processes are in place to inform men that they can ask their general practitioner about the PSA test and the issues that surround it.

Answer: Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what processes are in place to inform men that they can ask their general practitioner about the PSA test and the issues that surround it. [75745] Ms Blears: Evidence-based primary care resource packs were sent to all general practitioners (GPs) in England in September 2002, meeting a National Health Service Cancer Plan commitment to ensure that all men considering a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test are given information concerning the benefits, limitations and risks associated with receiving a test. The packs are primarily aimed at GPs and practice nurses to use in counselling men with no symptoms who are worried about prostate cancer. A leaflet is available for men to take home to read in their own time, to enable them to make an informed choice on whether or not to have a PSA test. If they do decide to go ahead with the test, they can have it free on the NHS.

Secondary information