P-06-1294, 'Don't leave metastatic breast cancer patients in Wales behind’ which received 14,106 signatures. 

Deputy Presiding Officer, Members will be aware that it was Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day last Thursday. The day highlights that the way we diagnose, the way we treat, the way we support and the way we care for secondary breast cancer has been too slow for too long. I believe this debate today can make an important contribution to highlighting some of the challenges we face here in Wales. According to an evaluation of support and care for patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2019, there are 2,786 new breast cancers diagnosed each year, with 612 related deaths in Wales each year—612, Deputy Presiding Officer. Figures from Public Health England are stating that breast cancer is now the leading cause of death for women between 35 and 64 in the UK. This petition calls for change. The petition reads as follows:

'People living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in Wales are being badly let down by the system. Currently, Wales has just one dedicated secondary breast cancer clinical nurse specialist (CNS), a situation that leaves potentially hundreds of people without adequate support. We need to know how many people are living with MBC to improve services. And we want improve quality of life outcomes by raising awareness of MBC red flag symptoms.'

Deputy Presiding Officer, this petition was submitted by Tassia Haines, who is one of a number of patients, campaigners and supporters here this afternoon, watching in the public gallery, and I would like to extend my welcome to this Senedd Chamber. I had the privilege of meeting Tassia on Monday, and I want to pay tribute to the dedication and bravery that she has shown in raising awareness of this devastating condition, and to devoting so much of her time to campaign for improvements that will only benefit others.

Now, I know that the Deputy Presiding Officer, Dai Rees, shares my comments about Tassia, as he has worked closely with her in his own role as Member of the Senedd for Aberavon. As Tassia says, in her open letter to the Minister for Health and Social Services, and I quote, Deputy Presiding Officer:

'Unfortunately, I have been living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) for over two years even though I am just thirty years old. I am receiving treatment from two health boards and have met people undergoing treatment from all over Wales, and regretfully I must inform you, Wales is failing when it comes to meeting the needs of MBC patients, according to us - The people dying

from the disease and the close people supporting those with MBC.'

Tassia’s petition, and the wider campaign, calls for three things. First, better data collection of people living in Wales with incurable secondary breast cancer. Currently, the Cancer Network Information System Cymru does not report the number of patients diagnosed with the metastatic disease. This campaign is asking for a central Welsh system that will collect the details of all secondary breast cancer patients in the country. Secondly, better awareness of the red flag symptoms of metastatic breast cancer. There is a lack of understanding in primary breast cancer patients in how to tell that a cancer has spread beyond the breast, and this campaign wants primary patients and GPs to be given more details on how to spot these red flag symptoms to improve earlier diagnosis. And thirdly and importantly, Deputy Presiding Officer, better patient care. The campaign wants all Welsh patients to have access to a specially trained metastatic breast cancer nurse, whose workload is focused only on MBC patients, which campaigners feel can be cost effective for the NHS by preventing hospital admissions, for example.

On Monday, I didn't just meet Tassia, I had the privilege of meeting other patients and nurses, who emphasised that we must understand, Members—we must understand that primary and secondary breast cancer are different, and therefore, they require different healthcare provision. They emphasised that individuals need support at the most difficult time of their lives when diagnosed with a terminal illness, and they require individually tailored support throughout ongoing treatment through to palliative care.

Now, I know that the Minister is committed to driving improvements in cancer care in Wales. The Welsh Government’s new quality standard, published in May this year, sets out what good care will look like in the future. Later this year, we expect to see the publication of an NHS-led cancer action plan, giving further detail to that vision of patient-led care for cancer sufferers. But with all that in mind, Deputy Presiding Officer, I do look forward to hearing from fellow colleagues of the Petitions Committee, fellow Members, and, of course, from the health Minister, to hear the latest developments in cancer care, particularly responding to the three main calls of the petition, and how we can help the people who need that support most. Diolch yn fawr.