To complain to the hospital or my GP

[Kellythekidd]

Found a lump in my boob on Saturday went to GP on Monday

she felt it but was reluctant to refer me as says it felt fibrous she wanted me to come back in four weeks after my cycle

she knew I wasn't comfortable with this so said she would refer me but wouldn't refer me red flag as she doesn't think it's sinister so referred me as urgent

I got a message from the hospital today to say I have been added to the routine list with a four month wait. I rang the hospital and they said the consultant who triaged it out it routine the referral stated
I found lump in the shower feels like breast tissue thinks it's benign

I thought every lump was urgent for breast clinic

When I’ve had breast lumps in the past they’ve thought they were benign but I’ve still been referred on the two week pathway so I would seek a second opinion.

I was referred on the two week pathway.
Luckily was a burst abcess.
Do you have breast cancer,/ ovarian cancer history in the family? I do.. so that's usually why a two week pathway .
But if you're not happy.. go see another GP.
Good luck.

If you’re not happy with the information provided to the hospital from your GP I’d contact your GP in the first instance, see if they’ll re-refer you as urgent.

No history of bc or oc in family

not on hrt or contraceptive pill

just confused that the dr can be so sure it's benign

They do mostly know what they're doing and should hopefully have vast experience of breast lumps before they make that decision HOWEVER if you're not happy then call the GP and ask to re refer on 2 week pathway and explain you're not prepared to wait 4 months. Maybe the GP thought it would be a shorter referral wait. Give the GP the benefit of the doubt but do ask to be re referred.

• @Kellythekidd you don’t say your age but if you are under 30 the GP has acted correctly according to NICE referral guidelines, see below:
• Refer people using a suspected cancer pathway referral (for an appointment within 2 weeks) for breast cancer if they are:
• Aged 30 years and over and have an unexplained breast lump with or without pain, or
• Aged 50 years and over with any of the following symptoms in one nipple only:
• Discharge.
• Retraction.
• Other changes of concern.
• Consider a suspected cancer pathway referral (for an appointment within 2 weeks) for breast cancer in people:
• With skin changes that suggest breast cancer, or
• Aged 30 years and over with an unexplained lump in the axilla.
• Consider non-urgent referral in people aged under 30 years with an unexplained breast lump with or without pain.

If you are over 30 then you are right to ask again about moving onto 2 wk wait, as you are correct, a GP can’t tell from palpating whether a lump is benign or not.

Sorry I am 38

definitely yes then if you are 38 I would request bumping to the 2 wk wait. I’ve been referred 3 x for lumps ( in my 30’s, 40’s and 50’s ) and always on a 2 week wait, even though gp has ( correctly) thought them likely to be benign each time.

So speaking to a friend who works in the hospital apparently they don't have urgent appts only red flag or routine

confused why the consultant who triaged it then put it as routine seeing there was a lump

OP@Kellythekidd Ps. It may be simplyy that in your area the 2 week wait has become a 4 week due to nhs pressures …last time I went ( this year) my gp warned me that it may be longer than 2 wks due to service overload, and that they were sort of operating an “ urgent urgent” list alongside a “ less urgent” list…I just saw you’ve already been triaged by consultant so I would say I can understand this reasoning as to why you are waiting a bit longer. That could be the “ red flag” situation your friend is talking about.

OP if it were me I'd be trying to get this upgraded to urgent. In all likelihood it will end up being something benign however I would want to get seen sooner than 4 months

Yes I have left a message to get my GP to ring me tomorrow to find out her opinion on this I don't know if she didn't realise they aren't doing urgent appts atm or not

but I am shocked at the hospital to not even put it as red flag seeing as there is a lump. The GP said to me it felt like the gristle you would get in chicken like the fattyness of that