Referral to Breast Clinic

Hi

my understanding of a urgent referral is that you are seen under the two week rule. Whether that has changed because of covid I'm not sure. I would definately chase the gp again particularly because of  your previous history. It is appaulling that your original referral  was sent back to your gp and then told to wait another 6 weeks. 

Hope you get your appointment very soon

Linda xx

I'd contact the gp tomorrow and tell them you are very worried and have been really waiting months. See if they can phone the hospital and get things moved quickly.  I once went into A&E with mastitis after coming back from holiday on a Saturday and they wouldn't give me antibiotics but fast tracked me for thr breast clinic,  where I was seen 6 days later. I told then I thought I had mastitis and wanted antibiotics,  and they said it looks like mastitis.  Would I like antibiotics? Lol. A&E is a quick way to get checked though....

Thank you Linda,

I am contacting my GP this morning to what is going to happen.  I don't mind waiting but what really annoyed me was that I got lost in the system, had I not phoned yesterday and left it another week I probably would still have not had an appointment,. Somebody failed there in the administration side. I am sure there are lots of ladies who are waiting and in the same boat. This whole episode of Covid has mucked things up for people with Cancer, I think there was too much panic at the beginning and everything was shut down. Perhaps speciality hospitals for Covid should have been set up earlier and have certain hospitals not affected, cover is not the only killer.

Thanks you Londonmunof2,

I will be contacting my gp  today to see what is happening. I'm a bit annoyed about the administration side and that how was I missed and told by the Clinic that they had not received my referral from the GP. Its worrying really, had I not phoned up I would have still been sitting and waiting for the imaginary referral to arrived. Between being sent back by the consultant in March and now waiting a further 4-6 weeks is not good enough. I feel sorry for other women who are waiting too. 

Hi budgie123

As I understand it, postponement due to COVID has been for 'routine breast screening' and has not been for situations like yours for some time.  

IMO the breast clinic's response is not acceptable, and my advice would be to make an urgent written complaint.  I always like to put things in writing as telephone conversations can be denied or disputed.

I am fully empathetic as we have experienced similar treatment on more than one occasion.

Only you are your best advocate.  Don't be reticent or deterred.

D

Hi,

My understanding is that they are asking people to come forward with concerns/suspicions of cancer and recently there has been statements put out stating not to delay if you have any concerns.  Today in Parliament they have been discussing (Matt Hancock) and others about getting Cancer Diagnosis/Treatments back on track.  You have been referred by your GP and the Hospital has not acted upon it, I would ask the GP Surgery to deal with it as a matter of extreme urgency and contact them everyday to ask if any progress has been made. As you say this has been going on since February and you have a previous cancer history.  

My Husband had his cancer treatment stopped due to Covid and I was in contact with the Consultants Secretary every couple of days, even though he was a private patient it made no difference to his treatment as the Hospital had been taken over by the NHS, now several months on he's back on track having his treatment but because of the delay he had to have a more intense intervention.  

I was delayed by my GP for months when I'd felt a lump, so now I am more insistent, its hard work, almost like fighting the system but we know our own bodies. 

Best Wishes and keep us posted. 

Thank You 

Sorry to hear your husband had his treatment stopped and the delayed problems of your diagnosis. It must be very worrying.

I will certainly be chasing it up. I'm awaiting a response from my GP and will contact surgery tomorrow. I don't want to contact the clinic again as i fear i will lose it. I feel very strongly about appointments and diagnosis and treatment being postponed because of Covid. I felt it was too easy to cancel things and mine was coincidently cancelled right after the day of lockdown. I say cancelled because the consultant put the ball in my court then to see if i would complain further. How could he make such a decision without seeing me. They could have least done a mammogram perhaps at that point they could have made a decision. I cant believe that on the news they are saying people are not coming forward for cancer problems when in fact it was the NHS that cancelled us. 

i don't really want to criticized the NHS and staff as i believe they do an amazing job but the system failed us I do hope that services will get back to normal soon but i fear lives are going to be lost and its going to take years to level out.

Thank you Dedalus.

I am very tempted. You are right about the routine screening being postponed. A worrying thought. The mistake is with the people who received my referral, it got lost somewhere as the secretary or booking person said they had not received the referral from the GP. when i questioned it the first time. 

no you are right, i won't be deterred. 

Thank you again.

Hi Budgie123, I'm in a similar position as you. 

After having a phone call with my GP yesterday about a lump on my breast, she called me in so she can check it herself. 

After checking, she told me she doesn't think it's dangerous and gave me antibiotics because she thinks it might clear up. She also said due to my age (I'm 24) if she did refer me to the breast clinic, they will refuse me as I need to take the antibiotics and wait 6-8 weeks to see if it's still there or has gotten bigger(????) Which sounds a bit silly to me, to be honest. Apparently, this is protocol for my age range.

The dr later rang me to say that due my to family history, she is going to refer me to them anyway and if they accept the referral then i will hear from them within 2 weeks. If not,  then to carry on with the antibiotics.

Hi Nazmay95,

Hope you get sorted soon. I spoke to my GP again and i explained what had happened, she said if i don't hear within next two weeks i was to give her ring and she will chase it up. To be honest, i am not expecting any appointments in that time, but at the moment its the waiting game ...again....Lets hope and i am sure i am that nothing comes up nasty. Its a terrible situation, worrying in fact.