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?

2 weeks to see consultant at the hospital and have biopsy. It’s the 2 week cancer pathway.

I biopsy is to determine if it's cancer or not. The appearance of different skin cancers in quite different, so a derm should have an idea. You don't think what's not OK?

Sure. That's with AXA

But you’ll be seen within 2 weeks on the nhs.

She said she did not.

I don't think it's ok to wait for 2 months to get a biopsy results for whatever cancer it is. Would you like to wait for 2 months in my case?

I think I must have been very fortunate. I was seen by dermatology less than 2 weeks after referral from my GP. Growth was removed another 2 weeks later and was confirmed as BCC. I was really impressed with how fast it all was. I hope you get seen soon.

I’ve had a couple of skin cancers and treated very quickly with both. My initial appointment for them both was within a week.

I’ve had good and bad experiences. Unexplained vaginal bleeding and pain and seen for a scan in 5 days and results then and there. Problem with heart scan and chest x ray and coughing blood and waited 6 months for an appointment this was after waiting 8 months for an echo cardiogram and another x ray as one was ‘lost’ how exactly it can be lost when it is digital I don’t know! and discharged immediately as despite a diagnosis of valve failureissues and heart disease on NHS records seen on scans but consultant discharged me as I was under 50, female, fit and healthy and non smoker and he believed they didn’t have heart disease. (I do), I complained to my MP about it. I would go private and do it fast worth it for the stress reduction alone.

Well not necessary. 2 weeks is what they aim for but that's not guaranteed. Someone I know with a skin cancer had to wait weeks for every step

Thank you.

I had an NHS biopsy yesterday and was told the growth looked suspicious and could be cancer. It’s taken 11 months from referral to finally getting the biopsy.

This is my third cancer scare in a year, and because the previous two were clear, I didn’t prioritise this one.

We have private health insurance, and the consultation, biopsy, and any follow‑up would have only cost £200 and been done within weeks. I really wish I’d gone private.

I don’t think it’s dependent on which company you’re with. Dermatology is in huge demand at the moment and even the private ones are holding long wait lists.

Mine was two weeks. Removed within about 4. Nhs. Husbands the same. His was much more to be removed and two places too.

Sorry to hear, that sounds very tough! I hope you are ok. Unfortunately as you can see from my example even paying for the private insurance does not guarantee a faster timescale anymore...

I am so sorry to hear about that...

Was there any particular reason it took 11 months for biopsy? Were they that busy or just did not prioritise that?

If it was a BCC, that's totally appropriate. They take decades to spread, if at all.

Very true, but as I posted earlier my DH had appointment and first lot of treatment in less than a week of contacting the private medical company (this was mid-March with telephone consult on Sunday, appointment on Wednesday). Maybe it depends on the area you live too.

Erm. I think if you suspected it (or did not know what it was) your opinion would have changed.

I can't imagine why anyone would think it's appropriate given the amount of tax we pay.

Dermatologists know exactly what they suspect (and schedule accordingly). The different types present very differently.

I’m in the Midlands and they have really long waiting lists. It’s going to be another 4 weeks until I get my results.

I am sorry to hear and I feel your pain. I hope you are ok!

Wouldn’t it be better to try the NHS, you’ll be seen and biopsy done within the 2 weeks, removal will be very soon after. Private is way longer wait for dermatology as they’re doing so many minor things. I’ve had experience re both and nhs was 100 times better with consultants from the same team .

Well the private one said she didn't know, unless you think she had reasons to lie?..

The NHS one, still have to see them. It took 2 weeks for the GP appt alone so far.

I was seen and treated in 3 weeks with potential ( it wasn’t) skin cancer with Benenden and that 3 weeks included Christmas . The dermatologist I saw even treated something else that I hadn’t been referred for while I was there .

I was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in 2022. I had to wait several weeks for a private appointment with my dermatologist (had seen her previously for other things and specifically wanted her). She took one look at the mole and organised the biopsy for the next day (which was a bit of a shock in itself), results took 10 days (due to it being an extended bank holiday) and the actual treatment (wide local excision) was three weeks after that (carried out by a plastic surgeon). My health insurer AXA covered all the costs and also covered the costs for 3 month check-ups for the following 2 years (normally 6 month check-ups for 2 years on the NHS I believe). I now pay for 6 month check-ups and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Two months prior to my diagnosis, I had the mole checked by a mole scanning company in Cambridge who said it was absolutely fine.