Potential skin cancer, NHS and private waiting times

[Comfortable8520]

This is more of a rant than anything else.

My GP referred me yesterday to dermatology on the cancer pathway. I was very anxious, so today I paid £200 to see a private consultant. She thinks I need a biopsy. If I do it with that clinic, it will be another £650, but I should get results within a few days.

I also have private health insurance (have been paying for it for several years). If I go through them, it should be covered, but the wait is around 7 to 8 weeks in total for the consultation, biopsy appointment and results. I was told by them that because the NHS is so busy, more people use private now hence the longer waiting times...

With the NHS, I do not even know how long it will take.

How did we get here? I have lived in this country for more than 20 years. I have spent thousands on education, visas and citizenship. I have worked continuously and paid a huge amount in tax. And now I am sitting here wondering whether it was all really worth it. What happens when I am 50, 60 or 70 and my health gets worse? How did we let politicians run the healthcare system into this state?

NHS was faster than private health insurance when I was on a 2WW, got seen by a consultant in 10 days. I wouldn’t assume it will be slow.

This is how it is now. There are areas of the NHS that work brilliantly but parts of it are dire. For the health care practitioners who work in it as well as patients.

Personally I’d start the private insurance claim while you’re waiting for the NHS appt.

If it all feels too slow you could go back to the private dermatologist? It’s not just the NHS, the fly and flop holiday sunburn is catching up with people and dermatology is very busy.

Thanks for letting me know. I know someone with a skin cancer who's treatment via NHS took ages but I guess it depends on how "lucky" you are.

Bloody wake up call for me to be honest, as so far I've been only moderately interested in politics

Thanks, yes doing both and seeing which route would be faster.

I was in this position this time last year. It was all quite quick. And had a biopsy and excision (benign). Probably depends on your local hospital trust re waiting times.
Where are you, OP?

My DH had a good experience with NHS first time round - went to GP, referral and got appointment with dermatologist within 2 weeks. The area on his head was treated (frozen) that day and all good. Fast forward a few years and he had another suspicious area appear and the GP was useless and didn't even offer to refer him, despite previous history.

Fortunately, he has private medical cover with his job so called BUPA on a Friday, got a telephone consultation on Sunday and referral to consultant. He got an appointment for the Wednesday afternoon, treated at that appointment with a follow up four weeks later to check and had another treatment. It was all incredibly efficient.

I believe it is the biopsies that take the time as both private and NHS use the same labs. That was the certainly the case when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I had treatment under DH's medical insurance. The consultant said it would take two weeks to get the biopsy results back regardless of the fact I was private.

Personally I would go down the private route if you have that option.

South west London, but I think the waiting time got much worse since last year...

@Comfortable8520 You are definitely doing the right thing to see what's quickest. 👍
I was quite anxious about the whole thing too. Fortunately turned out ok. Hopefully same for you. 🤞

I guess it really is a busy time for dermo, as PP upthread. 😒

When you say possible skin cancer, do you have any idea which type?

Urgency is only required with malignant melanomas.

If it's squamous, it needs treating but not urgently.

If it's a BCC we are talking about, there is no need for urgency and treatment over many months or even years is absolutely fine.

And don't forget the vast majority of 2WWs are 'in an abundance of caution' and are benign. I think it's over 95%.

I would either continue with the NHS who are usually excellent in the unlikely event it is a MM.

Please do try not to worry and be reassured it is very likely to be absolutely fine. All the best.

I was referred to dermatology last year for a skin cancer. My appointment was arranged in a week and a chemo cream was prescribed and was very effective (no biopsy). I was told the NHS waiting time was a year if I wanted it removed surgically.

Edited to add it was a BCC.

Thank you for sharing your experience and so sorry to hear about your and your DH past cancer.

By going private to you mean paying the £650 (the quickest way)? I might do that if there is no appointment from the NHS anytime soon.

Thank you. Unfortunately the consultant could not confirm the details and what it is exactly. I don't think mine is so obvious. I keep saying to myself that most of them are treated effectively.

Wow. A year. Thanks for sharing these details and it's good that all is ok with you

@Comfortable8520 I am not sure from your post if the £200 appointment you had with the dermatologist was through your private medical insurance that you have been paying into or was a separate clinic?

If separate/nothing to do with the private insurance and you just went to a specialist skin clinic, I'd recommend you contact your private medical insurance, explain the situation and they will guide you on the next steps. It may be they refer you to one of their approved consultants and you have to start the process again, but if that consultant then says you need a biopsy, it should be covered under your insurance and you wouldn't normally have to pay for that or subsequent treatment (depending on your cover of course). If you read your policy details on what is covered, it normally explains what is covered etc.

It was not thought my private insurance as they would not see me next day. The private insurance process takes 7-8 weeks (to get a consultation, biopsy and the results). The 200 I paid was from my pocket. If I want to know the biopsy results in several days, I'd have to pay another 650!

Thanks for clarifying - I guess it depends on how quickly you want to know.

All I can say is from experience of my DH's most recent interaction with his private cover (which was only initiated in the middle of March this year), he was seen and had his first treatment within 7 days of making his initial contact with the private insurance company.

Fortunately a biopsy was not needed so I can't say how long that would have taken but things tend to move quite quickly once you've had the initial appointment with the consultant.

I was in a similar position last July, I called my private health care on the Sunday and had an appointment for the Wednesday evening with results given within the hour at the private hospital.
I’m shocked at how long you’ve been advised, sorry you’re going through this.

It’s 2 weeks on the NHS here. Biopsy results came back v quick too within that time frame too.

Depends what type of skin cancer is suspected. Other than melanoma, the other two are likely not urgent

For me it's taking a MONTH only to see a consultant through the private insurance. The biopsy will take longer

2 weeks for what? It took around 2 weeks for me to only get an appointment with the GP. I am not sure how long I'd need to wait for the hospital appointment...

The GP and the dermatologist don't know... That's why I am referred for a biopsy I guess.

In any case, I don't think that's OK

Wow, a month seems excessive - do you mind me asking which private medical insurance company you are with?

DH's company have used Bupa and Aviva in the past and both have been absolutely fantastic.