Supporting Action on Breast Cancer

In my lifetime, we have come a long, long way on breast cancer research, treatment and survival rates. Despite that huge progress, breast cancer remains one of the biggest health challenges facing this country. Every year, one in seven women will develop breast cancer, which is 55,000 women. I was one of those women in 2020, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to our NHS for helping me receive an all-clear diagnosis in 2021.

 

Also, 370 men will develop breast cancer every year; it is important that we do not forget them.

 

Due to these statistics, I want constituents of Norwich North to be assured that every effort is being made to continue raising awareness of breast cancer, and to ask how the Government is ensuring the faster diagnosis targets are being met and improved. With this in mind, I wrote to the Health Secretary directly on this matter.

 

I have been told that improving early diagnosis of cancer is a priority for the NHS, and that the fastest diagnosis target (FDS) has been set at an initial level of 75 per cent to provide a stretching but achievable goal for the NHS.

 

Positively, I am informed that while this target applies to cancer pathways as a whole, the Department of Health know that performance on many individual pathways, including for breast cancer, are considerably higher than this.

 

The NHS Breast Screening Programme is also, more broadly, increasing uptake to improve the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer.

 

I will continue to champion this important area of care for constituents and their families, and plan to work further on this on the run-up to Breast Cancer Awareness Week in October.

 

If I can help constituents with any matter, please do email me at chloe@chloesmith.org.uk or call me on 01603 414478