Cannot get through to GP and suspected cancer - would you go private?

[JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff]

DH has always had a small mole just under his eye, really very close to the eye.

In recent weeks I have noticed he appears to have a spot or infected eyelash follicle there. He is very "unfussy" about medical stuff and doesn't like things being raised so I left it.

Up close last night in good light and could see quite clearly it was not a spot, but the mole. It has grown hugely to the point where it is sort of puffing up into the bottom of his eye if that makes sense.

I was pretty aghast and asked him if he didn't think he should see someone. He said that he hadn't wanted to worry me but 4 weeks ago he contacted GP via e-consult and GP had asked him to send photos. DH tried but it is hard to take photos of your own eye up close, and so he emailed them back to say the photos weren't coming out well, and could someone just take a look?

No answer.

I asked him to let me take photos and please do another e-consult. Did the photos, went on website - they have turned e-consult off as they have too many to get through.

Also not answering phone.

DH doesn't want to go private but I think time might be of the essence and it's worth a couple of hundred pounds.

Just

@DerAlteMann

Why couldn't you have taken a photo to send to the GP? Why can't you do it now?

The GP should stop faffing around asking their patient to take a bloody photo and see them face to face. They can't keep hiding behind Covid.

Isabelbeck is right.

The GP should stop faffing around asking their patient to take a bloody photo and see them face to face. They can't keep hiding behind Covid.

Quite. Called my GP surgery with what I know to be a harmless breast lump and let them know it was absolutely non-urgent on the phone. Was still booked in for a f2f appt as ‘Doctor will want to have a proper look so there’s no point messing around’.

If all GP’s took a pragmatic approach A&E departments would not be overrun with patients with minor ailments but nowhere else to turn. My GP surgery is no less busy than any other, but they haven’t locked their doors to patients like so many others.

DerAlteMann I did but then they disabled e consult so couldn't use it. We have now emailed it to the reception desk (only email address for the surgery) instead.

However tbh it is not a great photo. It is very hard to make out exactly what it looks like (a browny grey sort of swelling or blister with the mole sitting on top) from a photo.

So we've done that but what is the point? Surely you need to see a rapidly changing swelling or lesion face to face anyhow so why muck about with photos?

But he will ring as soon as he can on Mon. Sigh!

I’ve had skin cancer, and having 2 more biopsies soon

If it’s on his eye, I’d potentially go to an optician tomorrow - they can also be very good with anything impacting on the eyes

Do you think it’s melanoma? Or Basal cell carcinoma / squamous cell carcinoma?

Melanoma I personally wouldn’t wait, the other 2 are less likely to metastasise so I would ask the GP for a 2 week referral

Keep taking pics to track it, I use the miiskin app (it’s free)

I also tend to hold a clear ruler against any lesions as it’s easier to track growth that way

Agree 111 and out of hours doc appt. can do now tonight! Good luck OP. Hope it all works out ok.

I spent days trying to call, get through via the various online portals… so in the end just went round to the surgery and spoke to the receptionist.

Who made an appointment for me to see a doctor.

Just go to the surgery!

Like the old days.

@femfemlicious

I would go to A&E. Its an emerrgency!

Honestly not an emergency. Please don not go to A & E. however it does need to be seen soon. Maybe your local hospital has a kind of dermatology drop in, they really are the experts at looking at suspicious moles.

@EdgeOfTheSky

I spent days trying to call, get through via the various online portals… so in the end just went round to the surgery and spoke to the receptionist.

Who made an appointment for me to see a doctor.

Just go to the surgery!

Like the old days.

Yes I really don’t know why people don’t ever seem to think of just going to the surgery in person in these situations. Instead they go to A and E because without having tried that first.

There is an app called "my skin doctor" it's both private and NHS. It cost about £70 to have a consultation. Basically you write in a description and send the photos they ask for and they review it in 3 days and then suggests the next steps.

I would try this if you can't get in with the GP.

Can he not email the pictures you take with reference to previous discussion or if it is on his eye area would an optician be able to refer?

Op he will need to ring ion Monday morning after the school drop off, put the phone on speaker phone and just hold on until it’s answered. It will take far longer then 2-3 minutes! My GP surgery have been brilliant before and throughout covid, but they still take 10-15 minutes to answer the phone. I’m fine with that, the receptionists are doing their best and dealing with each person in a calm, through way.

When I was last in Specsavers, I overheard an Optician on the phone to the hospital organising for a customer to go straight there.
An Optician will also write a letter for your GP if they have a less urgent health concern that they feel needs investigating.

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff some practices don't accept unsolicited emails. They will endeavour to answer E-consults within 48hrs or less. 2-3 mins is hardly a length of time to wait on the phone. Keep trying or go there in person. Face to face appointments are available. If it cannot be done at your surgery for whatever reason you will be directed to where it is available eg if your GP is a small practice/ staff off sick etc . Point is you will be able to access healthcare - just need to keep trying

Try private GP via bupa. They can refer you into NHS if required.

https://www.bupa.co.uk/health/payg/gp-services?pdgchannel=ppc&pdggaccount=gp&pdgnetwork=GOOGLE&pdggcampaign=GP+%7C+Remote+%7C+Generic&pdgadgroup=Remote+%7C+Generic&pdggkeyword=online+gp&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkbuKBhDRARIsAALysV67C6uZfkPjEFGcDPpTtNJuaw52irlvvgUK0kd44U1ScIL-8Vyu7YaAuOoEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

A&E will just bounce back to gp and in most of the uk are unable to refer on anyway.

If looking at private work eyelid lesions that needed something doing where I have worked would be shared between opthalmology, maxfax, and plastics. The dermatologists would very rarely have a go.

[quote femfemlicious]@Dreamstate you can fuck off!. I said what i said!.[/quote]
You are wrong and unnecessarily hostile. Grow up.

[quote femfemlicious]@Dreamstate you can fuck off!. I said what i said!.[/quote]
Everyone can see what you said. Presenting at A & E with something which is neither an accident nor an emergency, particularly during a time of unprecedented demand, is inappropriate.

[quote femfemlicious]@Dreamstate you can fuck off!. I said what i said!.[/quote]
Yes you are part of the problem! And these are times I wish we got rid of the NHS and had private care because believe enough me you wouldn't abuse it if you had to pay for it out of your own pocket to the tune of hundreds of pounds in insurance.

But my god people like you really make me wish it happens because then, only then you will realise how good you have it!

GPs have years of training and are the primary care equivalent of consultants- they are specialists in general practice. If you rock up to the Emergency Department, if (and that’s if you are not triaged out and told to go back to your GP) you are seen you will be most likely seen by a junior dr (may even be fresh out of medical school) or nurse practitioner who specialises in ED.
@femfemlicious would you really rather that just so any Dr has seen the mole?

@Dreamstate...maybe you shouldnt call someone you do not know a "moron". That would help.

This man has been trying to get his mole seen for 4 weeks and still has no appointment. I can empathise with him because i have been try to see my gp for about 2 months for my extremely heavy periods due to my endometriosis!. I have been on the waiting list for an ablation for 2 years!. Every time i call the gps office for an appointment i cant even get a phone consultation. I am literally hemorhaging and anaemic!

You can bet your arse if i had a mole that was getting bigger and changing and im unable to see a dr, i would take myself wherever i can get it looked at. With cancer every minute counts! In not going to sit at home possibly dying because only "emergencies" can go to A&E!. If they can afford a private consultation then they can do that. I would not be able to afford that and i have paid my taxes for healthcare!.

The problem is many GP surgeries hiding behind COVID as an excuse for not. Seeing patients.

I hope you get sorted op. But looking at the stories on this thread, I wonder when GPs will actually start seeing patients again ?

We have a private GP clinic, which is situated above our normal GP practice, they have been seeing private patients throughout pandemic. It costs £90 for initial consultation and you can usually get an appointment within a couple of days. We also have a skin clinic in GP surgery, which is taking private appointments.