Breast clinic - is this normal?!

[Blinkingbatshit]

Sorry, shamelessly posting in chat for traffic as it’ll no doubt be quiet in the health section and I’m in need of some reassurance…
Referred by GP to breast clinic and given the number to call if I hadn’t received an appointment by today (a week after referral under the 2 weeks protocol). I was told by the hospital today that they don’t prebook the appointments and that the service is quite ‘last minute’….I was told to keep my mobile with me and on all the time. Is this normal? I mean what if my phone’s out of range (common round here), I’m in a meeting etc - do they then just move onto the next person and I miss the slot? What if they call me in when I’ve got my job interview booked? I’ll need to sort childcare if it’s out of school hours - this isn’t always easy! This seems really insane - I was managing to be calm before but now I’m in a state as to when they’ll call and if I’ll be able to go and what if I can’t😫. Is there a private service that does similar breast clinics? Sorry to be so ridiculously panicky - I’ve already developed a chronic illness this year and I’m half the parent i used to be….and like anyone in this situation I’d like some certainty!! Any help gratefully received, thanks!

I was offered to be put on the cancellation list, so if someone cancelled (quite common at the moment due to COVID/PCR tests etc) then you might get a last minute appointment, but I was also on the normal waiting list.

Sorry you are going through this.

You might be able to go private if you have been referred to breast clinic, so you have a referral after seeing a GP. Usually need a referral before going private

Thanks @toomuchlaundry - I’m just gobsmacked there isn’t a ‘normal’ waitlist. The protocol is meant to be 2 weeks so why aren’t they giving out appointments within that time frame and then bumping up people when they get a cancellation? Seems bizarre. Don’t think I’d have a problem getting gp to refer private but is there a private clinic that does the similar ‘one stop shop’ as the standard breast clinics (ie. ultrasound/mammogram/biopsy if required same day)?

When I went private once for appointment with breast clinic (have lumpy boobs!) I saw the same consultant I had seen the year before when I had gone through the NHS. I would assume you would get the same treatment eg ultrasound, mammogram etc as needed

Yikes that sounds stressful, When I was referred under NHS I had a prebooked appointment for 2-3 days time I believe.

I recently did a one stop private breast clinic - saw consultant for exam, ultrasound, mammogram and back in to see consultant all within a couple of hours so yes that's definitely possible. Mine was a Ramsey hospital

I’ve been right through the system, but 7 years ago. I don’t think what’s happening at the moment is normal, I think they’re struggling to get patients through and it’s all very last minute. Sign of the times unfortunately. My daughter had this experience a few weeks ago, she did phone after the date passed but was lucky enough to be given an appointment for the following Saturday.
Re going private, I had excellent NHS care and could have gone private. It is probably worth putting up with the inconvenience, you won’t be forgotten. I hope everything is ok when you get there

@Impatientwino

Yikes that sounds stressful, When I was referred under NHS I had a prebooked appointment for 2-3 days time I believe.

I recently did a one stop private breast clinic - saw consultant for exam, ultrasound, mammogram and back in to see consultant all within a couple of hours so yes that's definitely possible. Mine was a Ramsey hospital

I had similar 2ww appt but a one stop shop at my local trust - incredibly efficient. Maybe ring them and check that although you are on the cancellation list you'll also be booked in a dedicated slot

This sounds like piss poor, just in time organisation to me. I think you're quite right to be concerned, but you need to know that you can't change it, so there's little point in worrying. It won't fix their shambolic appointments system, will it? If they are that piss poor then I'm betting you will be seen on the very edge of two weeks, so be more alert then.
Private may not have all the facilities you need, also correct, but you could question them first - do you always have a biopsy service available? is one question I would ask. Here's hoping that you get seen quickly.

I’ve been twice. First time went private as DH had a low level of cover but because tests were negative, we had to pay! £500 14 years ago!! So beware.
Last time was NHS and a 2 week appointment was given.
Good luck

At my private appointment I had ultrasound and core biopsy as was at a private hospital. If it’s a breast clinic, I’m sure they would have all facilities.

Thanks all - just researched and found that the private hospital in a city 20 miles away does the ‘one stop shop’ approach….will call in the morning to find out their lead times, can then hopefully get a private gp referral through the insurers (don’t reckon my nhs gp will be able to rustle up another referral that quickly sadly but they have been brilliant this year)….It’s really not meant to be this hard is it? I know the nhs has its back against the wall and I feel desperate for those at the coal face…..and I feel really angry at the guy I was at Uni with (and his cronies) who is now senior in a trust being paid over £200k for his 9-5 pencil pushing🤬🤬….sorry, rant over (ish😁)

If you want to go private and can find a consultant who is on your insurers list then your gp might be very happy to comply, gets you off the nhs list. I think it’s unfair to bash the nhs over this though, two weeks is the required time frame and there are so many women coming forward at the moment, it’s a miracle they are fitting everyone in

@Blinkingbatshit

Thanks all - just researched and found that the private hospital in a city 20 miles away does the ‘one stop shop’ approach….will call in the morning to find out their lead times, can then hopefully get a private gp referral through the insurers (don’t reckon my nhs gp will be able to rustle up another referral that quickly sadly but they have been brilliant this year)….It’s really not meant to be this hard is it? I know the nhs has its back against the wall and I feel desperate for those at the coal face…..and I feel really angry at the guy I was at Uni with (and his cronies) who is now senior in a trust being paid over £200k for his 9-5 pencil pushing🤬🤬….sorry, rant over (ish😁)

Check whether your nhs trust does this - mine was one stop nhs - and they were amazing - I couldn't have had better care I'd paid

Thanks all - got a private appointment with mammogram etc all scheduled in tomorrow. I’m not bashing the nhs @mrsrhodgilbert - I did say my gp has been excellent and that I know the doctors & nurses on the ground are totally up against it. I do however think it’s due a mega overhaul to make it more efficient - its management is woeful (& the waste in paying 9-5 executives hundreds of thousands is wrong (in my humble opinion).

Glad you’ve got an appointment and I hope you’re ok. I wasn’t actually referring to you, another pp was being a bit unfair I thought. I’ve had breast cancer, been through the system and it worked perfectly. It’s a department that reacts very quickly, the very nature of it and the protected reaction times means women are generally seen within two weeks. That means that when called you do have to drop everything, but you’d want to surely to be seen. I couldn’t agree more re the general running of it though, it’s a hugely wasteful organisation very much relying on the goodwill of the medical staff and it does need a radical overhaul. Good luck

That sounds very stressful, and nigh on impossible for some people who perhaps have young children, don't drive, or do a job where they can't go off at short notice.
The state of healthcare at the moment is so worrying.
Good luck, and I hope its all OK.

That’s not how our hospital does it (I’m waiting too but also work here). Our execs definitely don’t do 9-5 jobs!!! Their role is vital and many burn out hence the high pay and high level of risk. Good execs are like gold dust and I’d agree some don’t pull their weight, most do in my experience.

That wasn't my (fairly recent) experience at all.
I got a text shortly after referral saying I would hear within a week when my appointment would be, and that this appointment would be within 2 weeks of referral.

And that's exactly what happened. I also had a direct number to call if I needed to change the appointment.

@Blinkingbatshit

Thanks all - got a private appointment with mammogram etc all scheduled in tomorrow. I’m not bashing the nhs *@mrsrhodgilbert* - I did say my gp has been excellent and that I know the doctors & nurses on the ground are totally up against it. I do however think it’s due a mega overhaul to make it more efficient - its management is woeful (& the waste in paying 9-5 executives hundreds of thousands is wrong (in my humble opinion).

My DH is a director in the NHS, he has a 3 figure salary (just) but he works from 8am to 7pm 5 days a week. He also does one in 4 weeks as on-call when he can be on the phone for hours a day 24/7.

Not many high paid NHS workers will do 9-5!

Not sure why people are vilifying those who work 9-5. You can work 8-8 and be shit at your job or 10-3 and be amazing at it.

A 3 figure salary?