The wait for NHS test results is cruel and anxiety inducing

@NaiceBalonz why is 3 weeks too long to wait for the result of a screening test? This isn’t a test for someone who has active symptoms and is waiting for diagnosis and treatment. It’s a screening test, so the vast majority will be normal. The few that are abnormal will be picked up within 3 weeks, often less as the sonographer will flag it.

Resources are limited so it makes sense for mammography reporting to be categorised into “screening” and “symptomatic”, with the symptomatic mammograms being fast-tracked. If I had a breast lump I’d be annoyed if my mammogram was at the bottom of a pile of routine mammograms awaiting reporting.

But your NI goes into state pension as well. A fund of about £250k is necessary to generate a £12k pa. state pension.

I've paid about £500k in NI over 40 years and have just crossed into being a net contributor.

What is an unspoken insider bit of knowledge is that if there are concerns on the scan they will phone you really quickly and get you in almost the next day to plan treatment etc.
But if they leave you waiting for weeks, it’s almost certainly fine.
Of course no-one tells you this, and given the state of the NHS you quite reasonably think you might have fallen through the net.
It is very stressful YANBU.

I agree with this OP.

I had my first routine mammogram on 23 September, the results letter was dated 6 October - and I got it at the end of that week - so approx 2.5 weeks after the mammogram. My anxiety wasn't high waiting for the result (although I didn't completely forget about it) and I didn't feel it was too long to wait, and that is with a strong history of cancer in the family (my mum died of cancer when I was a child - not breast though). I barely thought about it more in those 2.5 weeks than the preceeding weeks I was waiting for it (I had to push my appointment out by two weeks as I couldn't make the one they booked for me originally).

Your anxiety sounds quite elevated. I would be concerned more about that, and look to see if there is anything you can realistically do about that. I hope you get your results soon and all is well. 💐

I got diagnosed of cancer there and then after a routine colonoscopy. (Checking for ibs) the tumour was huge and dr google gave me terminal diagnosis. I then had to wait almost 2 months thinking I was dying and getting all my things in order (it’s how I coped) although the bonus of this is that I realised I had blimin good life insurance my ex set up about 20 years ago. Had the wait for all the experts to get together to discuss before I was informed. I’m stage 3, had op and now on mop up chemo but classed as cancer free (and now living mortgage free thanks to my knob of an ex husband 😂)

The OP has had a bit of a hard time here. I have noticed lots of posters on here appear to take pleasure in deriding anyone experiencing anxiety they personally deem not to be justified ("why are you getting your knickers in a twist!" 🥴) As if the poster will say: oh thanks, yes, you're right I'm not worried any more!

Its obvious the OP was not criticising the individuals who work in the NHS so I don't know why some people have gone down the route of arguing against a point she wasn't making.

OP I understand where you're coming from, once you have the scan you know there is the POTENTIAL for you to be told that something is wrong and that's where the anxiety arises. It's a lack of control during the waiting phase. I'm not old enough to qualify for routine mammograms but I get anxious waiting for smear results even though I've never had an abnormal one.

Sadly we all know the NHS is overstretched and underfunded. I'm not sure what the wait would or could be in an optimally functioning system. But you are not wrong for questioning whether things could be improved for the benefit of everyone.

I think the use of the word 'cruel' in the post title is unfortunate and has hampered any chance of sensible debate. Also the mention of the US system as a point of comparison, as it's so easy to point out its many flaws. But there are many middle ground options between the UK and US that would work better than both.

We can't actually afford our current healthcare model and the state pensions. The vast majority do not pay enough in taxes.

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but I honestly feel people need to calm down about waiting for test results. Whether you know now or in 10 days' time it doesn't change the result. Just have the test, and put it out of your mind until the day they are due which you can mark on a calendar so you don't forget to look them up. Yes I've had similar tests, including for cancer, but there is no point getting worked up. If you want them more quickly then go private. Good luck with your results, I hope everything is fine.

It’s not free. I will pay approx £50k in tax and NI this year. As it happens I get a yearly mammogram through work. The results generally come back within a couple of days.

What did you expect! You were clearly expecting the sympathy vote. It costs around £200 for a mammogram so if you didn’t want to wait a few weeks you could have paid privately!
why don’t you ask your colleague how many people in the US declare themselves bankrupt due to healthcare costs? I save you the trouble last year it was 500,000! So yes you do need to shut up!

Excellent - but if you had a car crash tomorrow and spent 5 weeks on ICU 3/4 operations followed by 9 months of rehabilitation - it would cost a lot more than £240,000 you've put in and in reality that is what happens to 20,000 people each year

The NHS is a victim of its own success - people expect more and more from it and it is limited in £. When it was founded people were not living to the age they do now!

The US is not a healthcare system to strive for - I wouldnt live there even without DT in charge :(

I would try to assume that no news is good news and stay positive.
In future, if you can afford it go private - Bupa etc . Be wary though, there are lots of hidden extras !

OP, kindly, you are getting this out of proportion. It's a routine scan with no indication you have anything wrong. If there was anything major they would have called you by now.

I went for a routine screening mammogram at 4pm on Sept 1st 2021. I got a phone recall the next morning at 9am, asking me to be there that afternoon. Another scan, biopsy, and they told me there and then, I had cancer and would need surgery. 19 days wait for the meeting with the consultant surgeon, then 23 more days wait for surgery on the 13th Oct, home on the 14th. Then into chemo & radio etc. I'm clear now because of their quick responses.

Honestly, if they find anything, they don't hang about. You will be prioritised if there is clinical need.

Now go for a long walk in some woods or green fields, look at the beauty of nature and breathe. xx

If it's routine then why are you nervous? Fair enough if you'd found a lump but for a routine check why does it matter how long it takes? I forgot to check my results for a recent routine test until 2 months later when I suddenly remembered I'd had it done

I work for the Breast Screening Programme in the UK and we tell ladies that it can take up to 2 weeks for their results, but it doesn’t always take as long as that, it’s generally the post being so bad at the moment which can delay results. Or sometimes if we have staffing issues, as there is a huge issue in that area at the moment. There is a national shortage of radiographers and we in the admin office are also extremely short staffed. Mammograms have to be read by two different radiologists who both have to agree on the results before we can send out a routine recall (normal) letter so that can take a few days. It needs to be thorough. There are hundreds of women being screened a week.

Not free - paid for through our taxes and NI.

Rubbish, most pat in far more than they get out of it! By the time I retire I will have paid over £240,000 in NI contributions! My biggest cost to the NHS was having a baby which is around £20,000 if I had to pay and £7000 for gall bladder removal and probably another £4000 for smears mammogram med etc. On top of that maybe a GP appointment once a year, so I’ve definitely put in more than I’ve used the NHS for!

Didn’t even have to read the comments to know these would be here. I absolutely hate the society we live in now :)

I completely understand how this wait has made you feel and I hope you receive the positive news you deserve.

Is this part of the screening service? I mean, I get why you might be keen to find out the result, but surely if you don’t have a current issue, then your anxiety is a bit out of proportion to the situation. Anyone with a breast lump is normally referred to the hospital (2 week wait is the expected time, but not always achievable) and women are often sent to a ‘one stop shop’ where they get all their tests done, with results the same day (apart from grading and staging in the event of it being cancer.) That’s what happened with my mum and it’s generally very efficient. I reckon routine screening can afford to take a bit of a back seat.

If symptoms suggest cancer you should be seen within 2 weeks. I was seen in a lot less time than that.

The NHS care I have received has been prompt, excellent and compassionate. This isnt universal. However, i think people who have good experiences are less likely to post. Many people like me do have good care. I am very glad we have the NHS and that I received the care and treatment I did.

Routine checks are not as speedy. Please dont be anxious. The likelihood is everything is fine.

The NHS is not free.

Its fine to complain about wait time and the NHS is constantly failing people by taking too long to get back or make appointment or not having the right information so you have to go back again and again.

They have a lot of work to do on offering important and needed care in a timely manner.

but i don't think a routine mammogram is on the top of the list and "usually" if something is irregular they get back immediately and you'll get a message from them.

OP if this was a routine screening mammogram, why are you more worried now than you were a month ago when you hadn’t actually had the mammogram? It’s not as if you’ve found a lump and you’re worrying what it might be. The position you’re in now is no different to the position you were in before you had the mammogram.

Nobody in the UK goes bankrupt due to medical costs, maybe holding onto this thought will help you while you wait. Things are not perfect here but we do not have to pay

They do have co-payments for treatment though. I was shocked to find a drug I needed to pay privately for last year would have cost more in the US even with insurance as their co-payments are so high.

Not every treatment is covered by all health insurances and its totally down to the insurance provider what treatment you are allowed, not what is recommended by your doctors and what would be best for you.