| TRAINING AND AWARENESS
BRIGADIER JOHN ANDERSON CEO Prostate UK |
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One of the principal aims in our fight against prostate disease is to increase the awareness of its causes, the latest treatments and the best avoidance practices - but we also need to ensure that this information gets to those who need it.
In late 2004, Prostate Research Campaign UK - as we were then known - conducted an appraisal of performance against objectives so that we were clear as to what action was required to improve the service we offer to those affected by prostate diseases. The appraisal concentrated on our four objectives: the funding of research, training of healthcare professionals, awareness campaigning and the provision of free information. It became apparent that, if we were to help people get the best possible advice and care, we had to position the charity at the point of first contact between patient and healthcare provider - at the GP/Practice Nurse level. Only by ensuring that these vital links in the care chain were aware of our services, and abreast with current developments, could we provide a better service.
Training
Discussions with our supporters, other charities, Urology Nurses, GPs and Practice Nurses quickly confirmed that there was a real need for training in the latest developments in prostate care. The charity's Strategic Plan, endorsed by Trustees in March 2005, accepted that we needed to start a new initiative and build a reputation in this field and directed that funds be set aside for an array of training, ranging from seminars and grants for specialist training to paying for local travel costs and course attendance by members of the British Association of Urological Nurses (BAUN). This new intiative would be in addition to our ongoing but limited programme of sponsoring specialist urology training.
We began by designing a specialist seminar ‘The ABC of Prostate Diseases’ aimed primarily at Practice Nurses and GPs. This course is free for all healthcare professionals and is also CPD accredited. The first two seminars were held in Manchester and in London and were considered to be great successes by the participants. There is now a comprehensive programme of seminars at major locations around the UK.
We are fortunate in that some of the top experts in the field provide their services free, and we also owe thanks to The HSA Charitable Trust, without whose support we could not have run the first two seminars. In addition, PCaSO, a patient support group, helped to fund the seminar in Southampton in October 2007, whilst seminars in 2008 are part-funded by the Simplyhealth Charitable Trust. Since the seminars statred in February 2006, over 1,100 medical professionals have attended.
Read reports of past seminars by selecting from the menu on the left; See our Training Programme for future seminar locations and dates; Look here for full details of the programme and speakers at the next seminar and to reserve your place now.
Awareness
Our programme for increasing the awareness of the public about prostate diseases is based on:
- Ensuring that all the events we run are geared to raise awareness as well as funds. For example the recent fundraising event Pants in the Park included the leafleting of over 15,000 homes, numerous press articles about the event and the work of the charity, and mention of the charity and the services we provide on popular radio stations both before and after the event.
- Cooperating with other like-minded charities and organisations with similar aims. For example, we work closely with the British Association of Urological Nurses over the distribution of our brochures and, as a member of the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action coalition, we campaign at governmental level for a better deal for all those affected by Prostate Cancer.
- The provision of a wide range of information on Prostate Diseases:
- A series of brochures under the general title Prostate Problems?, each concentrating on one of the diseases, a Women's Guide to the Prostate (Ignorance Isn't Bliss),our free quarterly magazine UPDATE,and a DVD or Video Treatment Options for Early Prostate Cancer. All these, plus A3 sized posters, are free and the brochures are updated every time they are reprinted - about every four months. These are all available to individuals, support groups, healthcare professionals and GP's surgeries and other clinics.
- The publication of the acclaimed book The Prostate: Small Gland, Big Problem. This was first published in 2000 and a second and updated edition was published in 2002. In July 2006, some 10,000 copies have been distributed. A third fully revised edition will be issued in October 2006 and copies can be purchased from our office at a cost of £8.95.
- The publication of informative booklets by patients. The Far End of Fate, an irreverent but moving account of one man's battle with prostate cancer, is due to be published in October 2006 and others are being considered.