Less frequent followups

I live in Leicestershire and have 2B melanoma. I was meant to be on 3 month check up for 5 years. but from my surgery last year my appointments have been cancelled and rescheduled several times so it was closer to six months when I was seen. At that appointment they told me they had changed the schedule to be every six months from now on. New guidelines apparently. I hope that they see me at the appointed date going forward as it does get a little worrying if you have tittle skin anomalies that you would like to be looked at. They did say to contact them if I have any concerns and they would see me sooner. It feels like they are so short staffed that they have moved the appointments out to try and achieve the new lower targets for seeing patients. Probably not in the best interests of the patient but I can understand the need to do it. We will all have to be vigilant and make sure we do our skin checks regularly.

Hi Kate_* 

The NICE guidelines for England have recently changed and for Stage 1b it says:

• in the first year offer 2 check-ups, and then yearly check-ups for a further 4 years

Previously it had been 3 monthly check-ups for 3 years, followed by 6 monthly check-ups for 2 years.

I don't know how often check-ups are offered in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

x

Thanks Claire and Latchbrook xx