Breast Cancer: Surrey Heath

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including secondary breast cancer, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes for all patients across England, including in the Surrey Heath constituency.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evaluates all new licensed medicines and makes recommendations on whether they should be routinely funded by the NHS based on their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE. Since April 2018, NICE has recommended 24 of the 25 breast cancer medicines it has evaluated, and they are now available for the treatment of NHS patients.

To assess the adequacy of existing treatment options for people with secondary breast cancer, NHS England funded an audit into primary and metastatic breast cancer. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed in an NHS setting, the audit brings together information to look at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done better. The audit was published on 12 September 2024, by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and the NHS is now acting on the findings.

To further support people with cancer, including people with secondary breast cancer in the Surrey Heath constituency, NHS England has committed to ensuring that every person diagnosed with cancer has access to personalised care. This includes needs assessments, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Through the provision of information, personalised care empowers people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. This approach ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health, as well as any practical or financial concerns.