Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review (a) guidelines and (b) referral criteria for the direct rectal examination for prostate cancer.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all patients with cancer, including prostate cancer, are diagnosed faster and more accurately, with the most appropriate diagnostic methods available. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance on best practice for health and social care professionals in England.

Current NICE guidance does not recommend digital rectal examination for diagnosing prostate cancer. NICE does recommend digital rectal examination as part of the physical examination that should be offered to all men with lower urinary tract symptoms as part of their initial assessment. The guidelines are available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12/chapter/Recommendations-organised-by-site-of-cancer#urological-cancers