PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Ovarian Cancer: Health Education (6 January 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what national public awareness campaigns have been run to increase awareness of ovarian cancer in the last 12 months; and what steps his Department is taking to improve public awareness of ovarian cancer.

Asked by:
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour)

Public Health England (PHE) has run several Be Clear on Cancer (BCOC) campaigns to help improve early detection of cancer. PHE has not run a national public awareness campaign on ovarian cancer in the last 12 months. However, in 2014 PHE ran a regional ovarian cancer campaign and, in 2017, a pilot which focussed on a range of abdominal symptoms, such as diarrhoea, bloating and discomfort that can be indicative of several cancers, including ovarian cancer.

PHE is currently undertaking new data analysis and research to determine the future direction of BCOC campaign activity and will take into consideration the outcomes of these campaigns. Further information on the BCOC campaigns can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.ncin.org.uk/cancer_type_and_topic_specific_work/topic_specific_work/be_clear_on_cancer/

Decisions on which cancers BCOC campaigns should focus on are informed by a steering group with representatives from PHE, the Department, NHS England, primary and secondary care clinicians, and key voluntary sector organisations. These decisions are under constant review, informed by the available data and medical information resources.

Answered by:
Jo Churchill (Conservative)
14 January 2020