How quickly should you be seen by your GP for a breast lump?

[diennaa]

I put in a form on Thursday stating I have a lump in my breast. I have just had a call from the GP saying the earliest they can see me is the 26th May. Is this ok? Or normal? For context I am female, 35, and going out of my mind with worry.

Not normal. Where I live, you self refer to the hospital breast clinic and I got seen in 3 days.

I would call the receptionist and explain.

I got a same day appointment with GP and a referral to the hospital breast clinic within 10 days

I just spoke to Breast Cancer Now and they said almost two weeks waiting is too long. Trying to call them back.

I had a same day GP appt & breast clinic appt was 9 days later.

I don't understand why I'm having to wait so long. My mum called yesterday because she had pain in her hip and she got a same day appointment. I think it's because I submitted a form online.

I was given and emergency same day appointment. I’d phoned the day before when I noticed the lump and pre bookable appointments were weeks ahead so I was told to phone at 0830 the following day and saw seen at 10 the same day. Hospital appointment was around 10 days after that.

That seems too long. I'd call for an emergency appointment. I was seen the next day by the GP and a consultant within a week (I seem to remember it has to be within 3 weeks that you're seen by a consultant, but that's a vague memory from 10 yrs ago).

I was seen the following day and at the hospital within ten days.

I'd give you an emergency appointment or the next day if it was late on in the day. mentally it's huge and so important to get the ball rolling. I'd also send the referral whilst you were in the room not that it matters as the wait for an urgent appointment where I worked in Scotland was 8 weeks 😠. Thank you SNP!

I was given the next available appointment 2 weeks away, then they asked for the reason and I said a breast lump, I was seen that day and in the clinic the following week having a sample taken! I'd get in touch to make sure they haven't misunderstood. Where I am in Scotland you need to be seen by the clinic within 2 weeks

Apparently in England it is two weeks from your GP appointment. I can't get through to them so am going to drive down.

Far too long. I phoned during Covid for a dodgy mole, when I was told there were no in person appointments available I, very dryly, asked “what am I supposed to do about a dodgy mole then?” And was given a f2f appointment very quickly!

it was a fucking age spot and had disappeared within a fortnight. Hopefully your issue is just as trivial but it’s better to know than not!

Your GP is rubbish is the problem. I had an unexplained lump. Put an online form through at 8.20am. Got a call from GP at 8.40am and was seen at 9.40am. Referral made and see at hospital the next week. This is a GP practice in a highly popilated area with high needs groups (lot of elderly and young families). It can be done.

I had same say GP appointment but breast clinic appointment was about 16 days later. Central London.

I'd ring back and speak to reception or the practice manager. They should be fitting you into an emergency appointment today or tomorrow.

I think that's not great. I had one and I think they saw me within about two/3 days.

I'm guessing maybe as you're younger they think it's less likely to be serious? But they shouldn't be making you wait that long no matter your age.

I contacted my GP, saw them, got a referral, had scans and biopsies and got the results back within 19 days. You absolutely do need to push for a quicker response. That's appalling!

Yes and I feel they are assuming family history. For example my grandma had breast cancer at 32.

That presumably heightens your risk a little. But 80% of lumps referred to breast screening are benign. So statistically you're much more likely to have a cyst or something. I had one last year.

I wish you well x

I’m going back some years, but I saw the Dr on the same day, & within a month I was having my op.

Firstly, that's too long for a gp appointment. Should really be same day. Secondly, the p"two week wait" for possible cancer has been abolished. Depending upon area, you may be seen sooner or later. I got same day gp appointment, but had six weeks to wait for all breast clinics up to a 70 mile radius. This was January. I then had to wait until the end of April for surgery. Luckily, it was benign. I hope you get sorted soon.

Too long! I found a lump on a Friday afternoon. Put the form in ar 4.45; had a call 10 minutes later with a Monday morning appointment and then a referral to the clinic 10 days later. And I wouldn’t say our GP surgery is particularly efficient usually. (Couldn’t fault them this time, though!). Hope you get seen soon - it must be very stressful for you.