Women facing ‘postcode lottery’ over breast cancer survival rates
WOMEN are twice as likely to die from breast cancer in some parts of the country amid “alarming” failings by NHS services, experts have warned.
A report by the All-party Parliamen- tary Group on Breast Cancer has revealed a “postcode lottery” in screening, diagnosis and death rates from the disease. Sufferers said they had been put through “absolute hell” amid long waits for diagnosis, and a critical shortage of staff.
The report warns that women in some parts of the country are twice as likely as those elsewhere to die from breast cancer before the age of 75.
The worst rates were in Newark and Sherwood clinical commissioning group (CCG), with 31.9 per 100,000 people dying from breast cancer before the age of 75, compared with 13.3 per 100,000 in Tower Hamlets CCG. The report also shows wide variations in early detection of the disease.
In Gloucestershire, less than 62 per cent of cancers were detected at stage one or two, compared with 88 per cent in the best-performing area of Rushcliffe CCG.
The report warns that cancer screening is now the lowest it has been for a decade. It said too many cancer patients were left to “fend for themselves” after their treatment finished. Women who gave evidence to MPS said they had endured “absolute hell” waiting to even be diagnosed with the disease.
Baroness Delyth Morgan, the chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: “This alarming report shows many women are missing out on the best breast cancer care this country has to offer, and this is totally unacceptable.”
An NHS England spokesman said: “Cancer survival rates have never been higher with more than 7,000 people now surviving after successful NHS treatment compared to three years ago, and we’re already addressing the issues raised by this report.
“Latest figures show an increase in the number of women being screened and a new joint NHS England and PHE service will provide local areas with key data to help improve consistency of services for patients across the country.”