What we're doing
Our Change Delivery team are leading our work to address these issues in variation and inequality of ED services across the UK. Our aim is for all prostate cancer patients to receive standardised, up to date ED care and support that provides them with the choice of ED support and services they need to return them to their pre-treatment baseline function regardless of where they live in the UK.
Here’s what we’ve done so far:
- Asked men and those affected by prostate cancer to lobby their own local health board – nearly 600 people took taken action and sent a letter to either their local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) or the Health Secretary, calling for change
- Contacted NHS Trusts in the worst performing areas to understand what the barriers are to providing good provision of ED services to meet the needs of prostate cancer patients.
- Written to all the Cancer Alliances and Cancer Vanguards in England, highlighting the difference in services across CCGs in their area, demanding that they address the current inequalities
- Written to Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary requesting a named person who is responsible for updating the National Commissioning Guidelines, which are nearly 18 years old
- Developed an education programme for healthcare professionals to highlight the impact that ED has on an individual and the importance of ED provision after prostate cancer treatment
However, there is still work to be done for all men to receive support for erectile dysfunction and we will continue to push for the inequality of services to be addressed.
We will continue:
- Working with Cancer Alliances and Cancer Vanguards in Englandfor all men to have access to the following 5 ED services/support: PDE5-i (Daily low Cialis), Vacuum Erection Devices, Erectile Dysfunction Clinics, Psychosexual Services and Counselling.
- Working across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to have access to PDE5-i (Daily low Cialis), Vacuum Erection Devices, Erectile Dysfunction Clinics, Psychosexual Services and Counselling.
- Working to get the National Commissioning Guidelines updated