Angela Rayner MP met with Breast Cancer Care in Parliament to pledge her support for the charity’s campaign to ensure people with incurable secondary breast cancer no longer get second-rate care.

A survey of people with incurable breast cancer by Breast Cancer Care revealed just over a fifth (21%) of people who previously had breast cancer are first treated by their GP for another condition.

And 42 per cent do not feel their overall care is well-managed and well-coordinated.

This suggests people living with incurable breast cancer are not getting the care and support they need.

In addition, a report from the charity reveals that, despite it being mandatory since 2013, a fifth (19%) of Hospital Trusts are not collecting any data about the number of people diagnosed with incurable breast cancer.

And almost half (47%) are not recording the numbers fully.

Breast Cancer Care believes incomplete data for the number of people with incurable breast cancer is one of the major barriers to urgently needed improvements to poor care.

On Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day Angela attended Breast Cancer Care’s parliamentary event – hosted by Sharon Hodgson MP, new Shadow Public Health Minister – to meet women living with incurable breast cancer and call for an end to second-rate care.

Angela said: “It is so important to show my support for women living with incurable secondary breast cancer. It is absolutely vital that during Breast Cancer Awareness Month people with incurable breast cancer know they are not being forgotten.

“It is disappointing to find out that some Trusts are failing to collect data about the number of people diagnosed with incurable breast cancer.

“It must be made a priority that everyone is diagnosed and that everyone living with the disease is counted.

“I am calling on the Government to do more to support women and men affected by incurable breast cancer and make vital improvements to care.”

Danni Manzi, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Breast Cancer Care, said: “We are extremely grateful to Angela for joining us on Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day to show her support for our ‘Secondary. Not second rate.’ campaign, improving care for incurable secondary breast cancer patients.

“There are still gaps in care for people with incurable breast cancer and consistent data collection is essential to enable crucial services and support to be planned effectively for people living with the disease.

“We are calling on the Government, Public Health England and NHS England to do all they can to ensure everyone with incurable breast cancer gets the best care possible.”

For more information visit breastcancercare.org.uk/secondary