Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mental health support resources he will make available to (a) patients suffering from secondary breast cancer and (b) patient groups advocating on their behalf.

The NHS Long Term Plan sets a clear ambition that where appropriate every person diagnosed with cancer, including those with secondary breast cancer, should have access to personalised care to ensure people’s social, emotional, physical and practical needs are identified and addressed at the earliest opportunity. Over the next five years, Cancer Alliances will be embedding personalised care interventions, which will identify and address the changing needs of cancer patients from diagnosis onwards.

Many Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services have strong links with a range of health and care settings and the patient groups within them. These IAPT services will share informational materials with patient groups to educate and signpost towards IAPT.