An East Midlands initiative that helps identify and support women with a higher risk of developing breast cancer, has been highlighted in the new national Cancer Plan for England.

Launched by the Government in February 2026, the Plan sets out a major overhaul of cancer care in England, aiming for faster diagnosis, quicker treatment, and improved long‑term survival, with a target that 75% of patients diagnosed from 2035 will be cancer‑free or living well after five years.

The East Midlands Breast Pain Pathway (EMBPP) – highlighted in the Plan as one of the innovative projects that can help transform care – was the first service of its kind in the UK to implement community clinics for women with breast pain. 

Health Innovation East Midlands provided resources for an evaluation that helped support the sustainability of the pathway within the East Midlands and influence spread across the country.  Breast Pain is very common and experienced by most women at some point in their lifetime. It can occur for many different reasons, but breast pain alone is not a cause or symptom of breast cancer.

The pathway includes the use of software called FaHRAS (Family History Risk Assessment Software) to identify women at increased risk of breast cancer – enabling timely support, avoiding unnecessary patient anxiety and saving NHS resources.

Over the past four years, the project has seen rapid national expansion and NHS England has recommended adoption of the pathway.

A website hosted by the East Midlands Cancer Alliance provides information about breast pain and its management, along with background to the EMBPP and a toolkit for healthcare professionals to support implementation of the pathway: East Midlands Breast Pain Pathway - East Midlands Cancer Alliance.

Find out more about its impact in our case study.