Denial of health check inspired man to throw himself into prostate campaigning

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A man who was initially denied a health check by a South London GP surgery later found out he had prostate cancer after getting a test for the disease.

Paul Campbell, 54, said he might not be here today if he hadn’t held his ground and demanded a regular test for the disease, despite the surgery in Greenwich – which he has since left – refusing to sign him up for one when he first visited.

Mr Campbell, chief executive of Cancer Black Care – a charity which aims to support black people through cancer care, with support groups across London – is sharing his story after a survey by Prostate Cancer Research reported in The Guardian found one in four black men had been denied a test by their doctor.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, accounting for more than a quarter of cases. Black men have twice the risk of developing the disease than the overall adult male population.

Mr Campbell, who first requested a test for the disease at the age of 42 after seeing an NHS advert, said: “I went for a healthcare check that included a PSA test [a test for prostate cancer], but I was obstructed and denied.

“They told me they weren’t going to provide it. I became assertive and I had to raise my voice and I had to continually fight my corner to get the test. They were very reluctant to give it to me.”

Mr Campbell eventually persuaded the surgery to sign him up for a PSA test, which was repeated regularly every few years. After completing the test in 2018 aged 49, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer despite having no symptoms.

He said: “If I hadn’t had my test, I might have found out when I was stage four which is too late. At every cancer conference I attend, I hear [from medical professionals] that these tests are not being refused. However, I’ve personally experienced being denied one.

“This is an ongoing issue, where men of all ethnicities are being obstructed from accessing these crucial tests. These screenings are vital – they have the potential to save lives.”

Mr Campbell said there also needed to be increased education and awareness about the importance of early screenings, especially among black men who are more likely to develop the disease.

South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB), which is responsible for NHS services in Greenwich, as well as Bexley, Bromley, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, said it had invited almost 14,800 black men over 45 for a PSA by text through an initiative introduced in January 2023.

The message is sent to men over 45 with a family history of prostate cancer and black men over 45 regardless of family history. Between January 2023 and August 2024, it said 2,375 black men have had a PSA result as a result of the scheme and 30 cases of prostate cancer have been diagnosed.

Pictured top: Paul Campbell (Picture: Provided by PC)