The Chief Minister, Minister for Health and Acting Medical Director met with representatives of Prostate Cancer Gibraltar to thank them for their fundraising efforts towards the purchase of new equipment for the GHA Urology Department.

Through their Buddy network, Prostate Cancer Gibraltar support men and their families in dealing with the implications and consequences of a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Building upon their previous donations to the department over recent years, the group have made significant efforts in fundraising towards the purchase of a state of the art Transperineal MRI Fusion Guided Ultrasound Prostate biopsy system. In partnership with The Kusuma Trust, they have managed to raise a substantial amount of funds enabling the GHA to purchase the new equipment for the Urology department. 

The immediate benefits of this system to the men of Gibraltar will be safer and more accurate prostate biopsies. It is associated with a lower risk of severe infection following biopsies compared with the previous technique and improved targeting of areas of potential abnormality within the prostate highlighted on MRI scans. Patients will no longer be required to travel to the UK or Spain for these biopsies and the previously performed transrectal guided ultrasound prostate biopsies will be replaced by this enhanced technique. The purchase of additional ultrasound probes, will also allow us to perform imaging of the kidneys and bladder in clinic for both men and women. Once the purchase has been completed, we hope to be able to offer this new biopsy technique at the GHA by the end of the November 2021.

The GHA is also pleased to announce the recent appointment of Paul Pereira as the Clinical Nurse Specialist for Urology. Many will be aware of his tireless dedication to the department in recent years and this new role will enable him to expand the scope of his clinical activity and further enhance the help and support the department is able to offer all patients. The Urology Department remains committed to continued service improvements, striving for excellence in the delivery of high quality, timely and safe diagnostics and treatments for urological conditions to the people of Gibraltar, in a ‘One Stop Shop’ clinic setting.

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Mr Derek Ghio, Chairman of Prostate Cancer Gibraltar said, “Prostate Cancer Gibraltar’s objective is to form an effective and efficient partnership with the GHA to develop optimal administrative and medical procedures, with regards to all matters related to the Urology Kusuma Clinic for the purposes of improving the diagnoses and treatments of all prostate related diseases. We also wish to increase the number of men who survive prostate related diseases and prostate cancer in particular in Gibraltar. We firmly believe that early detection saves lives. Prostate Cancer Gibraltar thanks Kusuma Trust for their generosity and support. We are grateful for their cooperation and for working together with us to jointly fund this ambitious project.”

If men have any concerns regarding their urinary symptoms or worries regarding prostate cancer, we would recommend they read the Public Health England document on PSA testing (see link) and discuss this further with their GP. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/856976/PSA_testing_for_prostate_cancer_information_for_well_men.pdf).

Minister for Health, the Hon Samantha Sacramento, said: ‘The GHA are extremely grateful to Prostate Cancer Gibraltar and the Kusuma Trust for their generous efforts, which have gone a long way towards funding the purchase of this important equipment. I’d also like to congratulate Paul Pereira on his appointment as the GHA’s Clinical Nurse Specialist for Urology. These are both significant developments for the Urology department which will greatly improve the services available to patients in Gibraltar.’

ENDS