A former nurse from Bromley who lives with breast cancer has spoken of the strain "under-resourced, under-staffed" NHS workers are under.

Mandy Mahoney, 48, was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in 2011, treatable but incurable a form of the disease which spreads from its site of origin to other parts of the body.

The mum of two has shared her experiences of being treated by the capital’s already stretched cancer workforce, as new research from Macmillan Cancer Support reveal the number of people living with cancer in the UK has risen to nearly three million.

"As a former nurse and a current metastatic breast cancer patient, I’m all too aware of the time pressures, the budget constraints and the targets that are impacting our cancer care workforce", she said.

"The flagstones of my former profession – empathy, sympathy, a cup of tea and a friendly ear…that people-side has been lost.

"At the Trust where I’m treated, there’s only one, part-time secondary breast cancer nurse, so I’m managed, but there’s no time to support or comfort me.

“The NHS I see is under-resourced, under-staffed and stressed.

"You almost feel guilty for needing their help and reassurance. But they are working against phenomenally difficult circumstances.

"I’ve had a consultant call me long after clinic had finished and their shift should be over – clearly going above and beyond.

"As a patient and an ex-nurse, I know first-hand that you need to invest in your people, your workforce. Staff are suffering and the impact on patients can be even harder.”

McMillan's new analysis, which uses national cancer registry data, shows that someone in London is diagnosed with cancer on average every 15 minutes.

UK-wide, the charity predicts the number of people living with cancer will rise to almost 3.5 million by 2025.

Recent research by Macmillan also shows more than two thirds (68%) of newly diagnosed cancer patients are already not getting all the help they need with issues related to their cancer.

Lynda Thomas, Macmillan Cancer Support’s Chief Executive, said: “More and more people are hearing the life-changing news that they have cancer, at a time when the NHS desperately needs additional doctors and nurses.

"Ultimately, this is whipping-up a perfect storm which needs to be taken seriously. "