Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure appropriate funding is allocated for (a) early diagnosis and (b) effective monitoring of invasive lobular carcinoma; and what funding is allocated for the (i) development and (ii) availability of treatments for that disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, is a priority for the Government. There are multiple National Health Service initiatives and funding streams across the NHS in England that support the early detection of breast cancer.
NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, invest in publishing information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, through the Help Us Help You campaigns.
The Department spends £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being one of the largest areas of spend at £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including the treatment of lobular carcinoma.
The Office for Life Sciences’ Cancer Healthcare Goals programme aims to accelerate the development and commercialisation of a new generation of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. The programme, however, does not ringfence funding, or run funding programmes specific to cancer types.
Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan later this year, we will publish our National Cancer Plan. The cancer plan will include more details about how to improve outcomes for all tumour types through earlier diagnosis of cancer.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the page 7 of the Economist Impact's report entitled Advancing Breast Cancer Care in Europe: a roadmap to a women-centric approach, published in April 2025, what steps his Department plans to take to raise the (a) awareness and (b) education for women about primary prevention of breast cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients in England, including women with breast cancer, have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Psychosocial support, which can include NHS Talking Therapy services, provides evidence-based therapies for people with anxiety disorders and depression.
To provide options for breast cancer survivors to preserve their fertility, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) fertility guidelines set the clinical standards for the current NHS offer to people with cancer who wish to preserve their fertility. The NICE is currently reviewing its guidelines, with publication of a revised guideline expected later this year.
Reducing inequalities and variation in cancer care, including for breast cancer care, is a priority for the Government. To address this, NHS England funded audits into primary and metastatic breast cancer. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with breast cancer in an NHS setting, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it is being done well, and what needs to be done better. Findings were published on 12 September 2024 by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and officials in the Department and NHS England are considering next steps. Further information on the national audits of metastatic breast cancer and primary breast cancer is available, respectively, at the following two link:
https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/metastatic-breast/
https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/primary-breast/
To raise awareness and educate women about primary prevention of breast cancer, the Government and the NHS promote a healthy lifestyle. In England, to promote physical activity, the NHS’s Better Health Campaign signposts people to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app. To address risks related to overweight and obesity, Government guidance on healthy eating, including the United Kingdom’s healthy eating model the Eatwell Guide, is communicated through the NHS.UK website and through a range of free, evidence-based tools and apps.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to reduce (a) geographical, (b) socioeconomic and (c) cultural differences in breast cancer care.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients in England, including women with breast cancer, have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Psychosocial support, which can include NHS Talking Therapy services, provides evidence-based therapies for people with anxiety disorders and depression.
To provide options for breast cancer survivors to preserve their fertility, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) fertility guidelines set the clinical standards for the current NHS offer to people with cancer who wish to preserve their fertility. The NICE is currently reviewing its guidelines, with publication of a revised guideline expected later this year.
Reducing inequalities and variation in cancer care, including for breast cancer care, is a priority for the Government. To address this, NHS England funded audits into primary and metastatic breast cancer. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with breast cancer in an NHS setting, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it is being done well, and what needs to be done better. Findings were published on 12 September 2024 by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and officials in the Department and NHS England are considering next steps. Further information on the national audits of metastatic breast cancer and primary breast cancer is available, respectively, at the following two link:
https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/metastatic-breast/
https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/primary-breast/
To raise awareness and educate women about primary prevention of breast cancer, the Government and the NHS promote a healthy lifestyle. In England, to promote physical activity, the NHS’s Better Health Campaign signposts people to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app. To address risks related to overweight and obesity, Government guidance on healthy eating, including the United Kingdom’s healthy eating model the Eatwell Guide, is communicated through the NHS.UK website and through a range of free, evidence-based tools and apps.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to increase the options for breast cancer survivors to preserve their fertility.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients in England, including women with breast cancer, have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Psychosocial support, which can include NHS Talking Therapy services, provides evidence-based therapies for people with anxiety disorders and depression.
To provide options for breast cancer survivors to preserve their fertility, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) fertility guidelines set the clinical standards for the current NHS offer to people with cancer who wish to preserve their fertility. The NICE is currently reviewing its guidelines, with publication of a revised guideline expected later this year.
Reducing inequalities and variation in cancer care, including for breast cancer care, is a priority for the Government. To address this, NHS England funded audits into primary and metastatic breast cancer. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with breast cancer in an NHS setting, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it is being done well, and what needs to be done better. Findings were published on 12 September 2024 by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and officials in the Department and NHS England are considering next steps. Further information on the national audits of metastatic breast cancer and primary breast cancer is available, respectively, at the following two link:
https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/metastatic-breast/
https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/primary-breast/
To raise awareness and educate women about primary prevention of breast cancer, the Government and the NHS promote a healthy lifestyle. In England, to promote physical activity, the NHS’s Better Health Campaign signposts people to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app. To address risks related to overweight and obesity, Government guidance on healthy eating, including the United Kingdom’s healthy eating model the Eatwell Guide, is communicated through the NHS.UK website and through a range of free, evidence-based tools and apps.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to reduce the shortfall in breast cancer specialists.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it, including for breast cancer.
Clinical radiologists play a key role in the breast clinician workforce, by supporting breast screening and symptomatic services. To help address shortfalls in the breast cancer workforce, NHS England is expanding specialty training places in clinical radiology to grow the future pipeline of clinicians involved in breast cancer care. Recruitment of trainees to the clinical radiology specialty has increased from an average of 234 trainees per year, between 2016 and 2020, to an average of 300, between 2021 and 2025, an expansion of 75 specialty trainee places per year.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) he and (b) the Minister for Public Health and Prevention will attend the Lobular Moon Shot Project's drop in on Tuesday 6 May 2025 to discuss research into lobular breast cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Due to diary pressures, neither myself nor my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will be attending the Lobular Moon Shot Project’s drop in event on 6 May 2025. However, the Department will continue to fund research into lobular breast cancer through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including lobular breast cancer. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on lobular breast cancers to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to (a) compression treatment and (b) other follow-up care for women with arm lymphoedema after breast cancer treatment.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made on the adequacy of access to compression treatment or follow-up care for women with arm lymphoedema after breast cancer treatment.
Local health service commissioners – through Integrated Care Boards - determine what lymphoedema services are needed locally, based on the needs of their local population.
The NHS’ roll-out of personalised care ensures people with cancer have a holistic needs assessment, covering both their physical and psychosocial needs, and are referred to services where appropriate. Lymphoedema support is in the NHS’ Personalised Stratified Follow-Up (PSFU) handbook as a required part of PSFU pathways, however it does not cover the specifics of treatment.
We know that more should be done to support people living with and beyond cancer. The National Cancer Plan, coming later this year, will set out how we will seek to improve the experience and outcomes for people at every stage of the cancer pathway. It will look at how we can improve communication and coordination for patients, so that they feel informed and in control of their care.
Asked by: James Frith (Labour - Bury North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on the Women's Health Strategy in relation to (a) healthy lifestyle choices, (b) breast cancer and (c) women's health generally.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.
The Government and the NHS provide a range of services to support people, including women, to make healthy lifestyle choices. For example, through stop smoking services, sexual health services, and weight management services. The National Smoke-free Pregnancy Incentives Scheme is also supporting pregnant women to quit smoking.
Reducing unwarranted variation in cancer treatment is a strategic priority for the NHS. On World Cancer Day this year, the Department announced a major world-leading artificial intelligence trial to transform cancer care, helping radiologists catch breast cancer earlier. Also, in February 2025 NHS England launched its first-ever awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of breast screening and encourage more women to participate. Further information about this campaign is available at the following link:
We are continuing to improve the health of women and girls, for example by supporting those who have experienced pregnancy loss through a full rollout of baby loss certificates, through menopause support in the workplace, access to emergency hormonal contraception, and by boosting women’s participation in research and clinical trials.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) raise awareness of and (b) support individuals impacted by breast cancer in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns in England to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on recognising a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.
NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including breast cancer. Further information can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:
NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients, including those impacted by breast cancer, are offered a Holistic Needs Assessment and Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer, and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.
Health and wellbeing information and support is provided to cancer patients from diagnosis onwards through their care pathway, and includes access to NHS Talking Therapy services for anxiety and depression, where appropriate. This is alongside wider work to improve psychosocial support for people affected by cancer, such as through local partnerships with cancer support charities.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve lobular breast cancer outcomes.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, is a priority for NHS England. We will improve cancer survival rates and hit all National Health Service cancer waiting time targets, so that no patient waits longer than they should.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme offers all women in England between the ages of 50 years old and their 71st birthday the opportunity to be screened every three years for breast cancer, to help detect abnormalities and intervene early to reduce the number of lives lost to invasive breast cancer.
The Department invests £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.
We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. Wider investments into breast cancer research include a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, including lobular breast cancer.
The NIHR funds research on cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment and care, which saves lives. NIHR funds research in response to proposals received and would welcome applications from researchers on lobular breast cancer.