What priority it gives to prostate cancer.

Cancer remains a top clinical priority for Scottish Government. Our cancer policy is generic in that its aims are to improve cancer services for all regardless of cancer type or whether a primary or secondary diagnosis. Better cancer Care, which was published in 2008, outlined the Scottish Governments commitment to address issues around cancer prevention, screening, early detection of cancer, referral and diagnosis, treatment, living with cancer, improving the quality of cancer care and delivery.
Whilst the cancer plan is generic the National Cancer Quality Steering Group (NCQSG), a sub group of the Scottish Cancer Taskforce, has a programme of work to develop quality performance indicators (QPIs) for all cancer types. Prostate cancer QPIs are one of the first cancers to be addressed in this programme of work, with QPIs being published later this year.
A prostate cancer risk management pack was also circulated to all GPs and NHS boards in 2009. The programme provides guidance to medical practitioners on the situations in which it is suitable to offer prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing, the information and guidance that should be provided to patients before PSA testing is undertaken, and the support that may be required by men as they deal with the consequences of the PSA test and any resulting diagnosis.