Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question 13066 on Prostate Cancer: Screening, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of laboratories not testing samples within 16 hours on prostate specific antigen testing accuracy.

The Department has not made a specific assessment on the potential impact of laboratories not testing samples within 16 hours on prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing accuracy.

All pathology services in England are expected to implement the recommendation issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, that PSA testing specimens must reach the laboratory within 16 hours for the serum to be separated.

This guidance is in place to ensure that PSA test results are of the highest possible accuracy and validity in supporting the early detection of prostate cancer, particularly in ensuring cases do not go undetected.

All pathology services in England are also expected to maintain international standards for laboratory quality, certified through the UK Accreditation Service.