Nanette Milne MSP has pledged to support Prostate Cancer UK in its ongoing drive to eradicate the injustices faced by men with, and at risk of, prostate cancer in Scotland.
Despite being the most common male cancer, men continue to face a number of injustices surrounding awareness, treatments and support, geography, age, and ethnicity.
Prostate Cancer UK has published a document outlining these five key inequalities, along with a solution designed to tackle each one. The charity is working with MSPs to call on the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland to implement these changes to make the inequalities a thing of the past.
The ‘Men United v Prostate Cancer - Five Inequalities, Five Solutions’ document comes as part of the second wave of the charity’s Men United campaign, which uses the language of sport to engage men in the battle against the disease.
Prostate Cancer UK is delighted that progress has already been made, with the Scottish Government agreeing to the charity’s call to introduce robot assisted surgery (1) and a Scottish National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (2)
The remaining calls to action are: the formal incorporation of prostate cancer in the Detect Cancer Early initiative (3), increased GP and public awareness of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test (4), and the development of national guidelines on the management of the potentially life-changing side effects of prostate cancer treatment, such as erectile dysfunction (5).
Nanette Milne MSP met men and women whose lives have been directly or indirectly touched by prostate cancer at an event at Holyrood to hear at first-hand about the inequalities men continue to face, and to show her support for Prostate Cancer UK’s calls.
Dr Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East said:
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and is predicted to be the most common cancer overall by 2030. Despite this men and their families continue to face difficulties relating to awareness of risk factors, treatments and support, geography, age, and ethnicity. I want to ensure that all men in Scotland have the information, treatment options and support they need to tackle this terrible disease regardless of their age, ethnicity or post code – and am delighted to team up with Prostate Cancer UK today to work towards this outcome together.”
Dr Sarah Cant, Director of Policy and Strategy at Prostate Cancer UK, said:
“For too long men with, or at risk of, prostate cancer in Scotland have faced inequalities of care, information and support. We are delighted that Nanette Milne MSP has committed to helping us fight for these longstanding wrongs to be righted.”