The experience of care after breast cancer for low-income people

Personalised Stratified Follow-Up (PSFU) after treatment for primary breast cancer is now offered across the NHS in England. The aim of PSFU is for follow up care to be personalised to people’s needs, freeing up time for healthcare professions to focus on people who need more support. This means breast cancer patients will no longer attend routine hospital appointments after treatment. Instead, they are advised to contact their specialist team when they need to see them.  

This type of follow-up requires patients to monitor their health and report symptoms. There are concerns that this may not be beneficial for underserved groups, especially people living in remote areas, on low incomes or from minority ethnic groups.  

The purpose of this study is to find out whether PSFU meets the needs of people from under-served groups after they’ve finished treatment for primary breast cancer. The researchers will create recommendations to ensure that people are getting the follow-up care they need.  

In this study the researchers are focusing on people with low incomes, but they hope to find out more about the experiences of people from other under-served groups as well.

Name of project lead: Katie Sutton 

Job title: Research Fellow 

Organisation: University of Surrey 

Email address: k.sutton@surrey.ac.uk  

The study is open to women in the UK who:  

• Have had surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for primary breast cancer on the NHS within 5 years  
• Consider themselves to be living on low income  

By taking part in this study, you’ll help researchers understand how people from low income groups are experiencing PSFU, and make recommendations to improve follow-up care for underserved communities.  

The researchers would like you to take part in a short, informal virtual interview, either via Microsoft Teams or over the phone. The interview will last about 45 minutes and will lover your experience of follow-up care after breast cancer.  

Before the interview, the researchers will also ask you to complete a short survey, telling them a bit about yourself so that the researchers can make sure they’re including people from a range of different backgrounds.  

You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in a further online focus group to discuss the researchers’ findings and recommendations before they’re published.  

As a thank you for your time they will send you a £25 shopping voucher after the interview. 

30 April 2026