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?

I don't think I am particularly critical of the NHS as all I know is that their waiting time for my acquaintance with a skin cancer was awful. In addition to that for me it took 2 weeks to be seen by a GP only.

I am rather quite shocked of the private hospital waiting time and I suspect it's the underfunding of the NHS that's impacting that too.

The nhs is two weeks, my friend was seen and her a biopsy (and lesion removed) within 4 weeks.

Ir sounds like private will be longer tbh.

I also don't think I ever said the NHS were incompetent. Underfunded - yes.

Thanks for the idea! Just looked at the referral letter and he left blank all the information about possible type

The thing is, something may not be an emergency but it can get nasty if you don't address it. The consultant said it was good DH hadn't left it any longer.

I've been on this pathway twice OP and I have to say my NHS experience has been nothing short of exceptional. I went from GP appt to derm referral in 3 days to biopsy 2 days later. Results were, I think, 2 weeks later (maybe a week longer) and I was seeing a plastic surgeon that afternoon. My SLN biopsy and WLE was a few weeks after that.

3-monthly check-ups for 3 years, then 6-monthly for 2 more years.

So I don't think massive waits are guaranteed.

Mine was malignant melanoma though and the consultant knew that just by looking at it so that may have made the difference in speed - there may be longer delays if it's not quite so obvious. Good luck, I hope you're not waiting too long.

You opened your OP stating that you wanted to rant and concluded it with, '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?'

I'd say that's pretty hefty NHS bashing considering you having absolutely no idea how well or badly your NHS pathway will go.

I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone and therefore I hope my assumption is correct and that this whole thread is nothing more than an NHS bashing thread rather a true life story.

It did sound like you’d already decided the NHS would be shit so wanted to bypass it 🤷‍♀️

I will spend my time only once replying again to the "NHS bashing" comment.

It's not ok to wait for 2 weeks to see a GP about a potential skin cancer. It's not ok to wait for 2 months for a biopsy via a private healthcare provider. Timeline was not ok for my acquaintance who had a skin cancer recently. Timeline/experience was also not ok for some other people, looking at the replies to this thread.

If you can't accept that some people and I had bad experiences waiting on the NHS - good luck to you. Because you will only be hearing more about this.

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

She may have 650 reasons to lie, or at least not to give her expert opinion before further investigation.

Last year I had a suspicious growth on my leg. I did an Econsult with the surgery in the morning. Had a face to face appointment the same afternoon when they took better quality photos. 3 days later I had a letter from the hospital. Within a month the growth was removed. And it only took that long because the surgeon got Covid. I don't think there was a thing to complain about. The NHS does not hang about in suspected Cancer cases.

It varies so much by area though! In this area you could be waiting for ever unless you push and push. And that's based on two adults, one child and a bunch of different conditions over 20 years.

It's supposed to be a NATIONAL service!

There’s been more posters on this thread who were seen and treated promptly than not!

And that’s great if you are one of them - but a very different story if you aren’t.

Wes Streeting was on the BBC earlier explaining what he hopes to do to reduce the gigantic NHS waiting list.

I really don't think most people are being seen promptly. Although I hope the OP is.

Private healthcare providers are under no obligation to see you quickly. It’s first come first served with private.

Lots of people book up the same consultants privately without a scheme. At our very good nhs derm dep you can see some of the consultants privately. My dh just got seen on the NHS cancer pathwsy very quickly( appointment, biopsy and all clear in 2 weeks), my son saw somebody from the same dep privately but had to wait several weeks. Half the week they work in the NHS so only have a few days private. Those on a private scheme aren’t going to get priority, it’s who books the private slots first on the limited days they have.

Personally I don’t think NHS consultants should be able to have half the week off for private consultations as it makes NHS waiting lists longer .