Biopsy wait times

Hi, it sounds very frustrating to have to wait so long and now have both these issues collide.  Have you spoken to your surgery team about your concerns on the biopsy? Or is it worth getting some advice from your GP?   You might also consider giving the MacMillan telephone line a call, they have a lot of experience and might be able to talk through the risks and any possible options. The number is 0800 800 0000. Best wishes, both for your thyroid surgery and your biopsy. 

Hello thanks for reply. 
I phoned PALS at both hospitals, the nurses for both specialisms, the breast screening booking office manager, and Macmillan nurses.

I’ve recorded everything in email with both hospitals and with my MP copied.

my GP surgery is a waste of time for this issue. I phoned them originally about the first delay to thyroid biopsy (that took 2 months). The GP said they could do nothing about the hospital.

the upshot is :

biopsy wait times for both thyroid and breast are out of control and taking far too long. The 2 hospitals involved in my care won’t work with any other hospitals to identify short term capacity relief.

The hospital issued me a pre-op letter incorrectly quoting covid precautions that they no longer require patients to take (an old letter format). This means, as far as the breast nurses are concerned I can have the breast biopsy the day before my thyroid surgery if required with no issues. That’s not how I feel about being cautious about covid before surgery. And I would have preferred to know the result of my breast biopsy before my neck is cut open. 

This all unacceptable. But I can’t change it.

You are right macmillan are always good. This is absolutely my experience. The nurse I phoned said put on a mask and get the biopsy before your surgery whatever date because you won’t be able to do it for a while afterwards (lying face down on a breast stereotactic biopsy table after thyroid surgery won’t be a good idea) and you need a breast diagnosis asap that’s a higher risk than contracting covid.

I will follow her advise, this means if I do have breast cancer I’ll then be contacted by the hospital only a week post surgery and at that stage talking might even be a challenge due to vocal cord disturbance. But I will take this a step at a time.

And I will complain all of the way.  My belief is patients need to do it to support themselves and describe these issues to the people we have voted in to our giver.

thank you for your reply.

Voted into our government.

(spelling error there!)