Dear Grampian Health Board,

This Freedom of Information Act (FOI) Request of all Trusts, Health Boards and Health and Social Care Trusts aims to give us an overview of access to PET-CT for prostate cancer across the UK. We will use this information to guide activity aimed at service improvements and reduced variation in access. We hope to understand and share best practice to allow all men with biochemical recurrence to gain access to the most accurate diagnostic technology. Please be reassured that, if published, the results will remain anonymous and respondents unidentifiable. We will not criticise any individual respondent.
Your responses are greatly appreciated. Please pass these questions to your radiology and/or urology departments for them to complete. If this is not possible, please provide as much information as you can.
In any multiple-choice questions, we ask that you please indicate your answer by marking with an “X” next to any answers that apply or by deleting all answers that do not apply. Please avoid answering by italics, underlining or bold, as these do not show up when we process your response.

Many thanks,
Prostate Cancer UK

1. Does your trust/ HB have access to PET-CT for the investigation of suspected biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer patients?
a. Yes
b. Not on site, but we refer patients elsewhere (please state the trust/HB patients are referred to, if possible:)
c. No

2. If you answered “No” to question 1. Would you use PET-CT for the investigation of suspected biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer patients if it were available?
a. Yes
b. No
c. N/A - We already have access to PET-CT.

3. In 2020-21, how many patients do you estimate were investigated for suspected biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer at your trust/ HB?

4. What percentage of patients with suspected biochemical recurrence do you estimate are referred for PET-CT at your trust/ HB?

5. Of patients with suspected biochemical recurrence referred for PET-CT, what % of scans do you estimate use a PSMA tracer (either Ga-PSMA or F-PSMA)?

6. Are there any exclusion criteria for referral for PET-CT for suspected biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer? If so, what are they? E.g. Upper and lower PSA limits, age, life expectancy, ECOG score.

7. What do you estimate is the average waiting time for the PET-CT scans for investigation of suspected biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer?

8. What do you estimate is the average time it takes to report PET-CT scans for investigation of suspected biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer?

For any queries, please contact Tayla Maloney:
Telephone- [phone number]
Email- [email address]

Many thanks,
Tayla
Prostate Cancer UK