Thomas said continuity of care came up repeatedly among the Tenovus survey of GPs.
“You have a 20% less chance of dying if you have the same team that looks after you,” she said.
Maria Bailey feels being able to see the same GP was a factor in her own cervical cancer diagnosis.
“I feel really lucky that she took me seriously from the off. She knows me – she knew I was alarmed and [the symptoms] weren’t normal for me. She took it very seriously,” she said.
The 55-year-old from Pencoed, Bridgend county, experienced increased fatigue and light vaginal bleeding but put it down to working extra hours and the menopause.
But in February she spoke to her GP after the bleeding intensified.
“It was heavy bleeding and quite large clots, which I’ve never had before – they looked like baby seals and that was really alarming.”
An internal examination followed by a raft of further tests uncovered a 4cm (1.5in) tumour and grade 2 cancer, external around her cervix.
“I was in shock, but as soon as they said it wasn’t life-threatening, that was it. It was just one gear – and that was go.”
Maria underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy, external across centres in Swansea and Cardiff and has since been raising money to provide essential provisions for others going through treatment for cervical cancer.
“I’m quite an organised person and don’t like walking into anything blind,” she said.
But an online search for advice about the things needed when starting treatment yielded very little.
She has now donated several “Bailey’s bags” to two cancer centres containing items such as a water bottle, strong-flavoured sweets to overcome the metallic taste treatment can leave, a foldable fan, neck cushion, battery pack for USB devices and a medication box.
The Welsh government said: “We’re committed to strengthening primary care as the foundation of the NHS in Wales.
“We’ve urged health boards to shift more resources towards primary and community care, with a further primary care summit planned to track their progress.
“We’re updating our women’s health plan to make sure women’s voices are heard, and transforming how the NHS prevents, diagnoses and treats cancer through our 10-year national cancer strategy, with a focus on earlier diagnosis.”
