Dear Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,

Prostate Cancer UK undertook a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request of all Trusts, Health Boards and Health and Social Care Trusts in 2016 with the aim of achieving a state of the nation overview of the use of mpMRI before biopsy.

With a 100% completion rate, we gained an in-depth understanding of the current status of mpMRI before prostate biopsy across the UK. We have used the data to make the case to National Commissioners for implementation support. It has also guided our funding and development of resources that respond to some of the challenges and barriers to implementation that centres told us they faced.

This second round of questions is our means of understanding what progress has been made and to identify where we can target our resources and National Commissioners’ support to have maximum impact. Your help with this, is really appreciated.

To make responding easier we have created an automated means for you to provide us with the data we are requesting. Please follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VT3L2TS

Alternatively you can manually fill in the answers below and return them to us.

If you have any questions regarding this FOI request please contact Haddi Browne, Impact and Quality Officer on 020 3310 7214 or on email: [email address]

1. Please tell us which Trust, Health Board or Health and Social Care Trust you are responding on behalf of?
2. What percentage of men receive mpMRI before biopsy as part of the initial diagnostic process using T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted (multi-b ADC and high/long b) and dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) sequences?
__________________________________________________________________________
3. What are your eligibility criteria/exclusion criteria for men to receive pre-biopsy mpMRI?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Are you using mpMRI before biopsy to rule some men out of biopsy as part of the initial diagnostic process?
_________________________________________________________________________
5. What mpMRI scores and/or other clinical factors are used to rule men out of biopsy?
__________________________________________________________________________
6. Do you intend to use mpMRI to rule men out of biopsy in the future?
__________________________________________________________________________
7. How many men annually are referred
(Please provide corresponding numbers)

a) On suspicion of prostate cancer? _________________

b) Eligible for mpMRI? __________________

c) Scanned? _________________

d) Biopsied? _________________

8. If you are unable to provide numbers for question 6, please estimate the percentage of all men referred for b, c and d.

b) Eligible for mpMRI? _______________

c) Scanned? _______________________

d) Biopsied? _______________________
9. Do you carry out targeted biopsies in men with mpMRI lesions in addition to systematic biopsies?
(Please indicate with a X below)
______ Yes – cognitive/visual estimation
______ Yes – image-fusion
______ No – systematic only

If No, what are the reasons for not carrying this out? (eg. expertise, equipment, don’t believe it makes a difference)
__________________________________________________________________________________
10. If you do not currently carry out targeted biopsies, but wish to in the future, what are the current barriers to doing so?
(Please indicate with a X below)
_____Expertise
_____Image-fusion equipment
_____Time factor
_____Other

11. Please indicate the number of uroradiologists undertaking prostate MRI
__________________________________________________________________
12. How many scanners do you have available for mpMRI before biopsy? w
____ 0
____ 1-2
____ 3-4
____ +5

Has this increased in the last 12 months?

_______________________________________________________________________
13. What percentage of scanner time is dedicated to mpMRI before biopsy?
_______________________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to complete this FOI request.

Yours faithfully,

Haddi Browne

Dear PLAYFOOT, Daniel (DONCASTER AND BASSETLAW TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST),

We still have not received a response to our FOI request from 23rd February 2018 regarding the use of pre-biopsy multi-parametric MRI for prostate cancer. Despite a further grace period of 20 days, the Trust has failed to fulfil its statutory obligation under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If we do not receive a response by next week, we will have no alternative but to report our concern to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

If you would like to discuss any issues you have in completing this request, please call Haddi Browne on 020 3310 7214.

Yours sincerely,

Haddi Browne