Would the NHS send a letter diagnosing cancer?

[em2001ily]

So if tests were done and the test results indicated that cancer is likely present, would the NHS letter actually state that, or would it just say 'make an appointment'?

I am asking this on behalf of a friend.

Thank you.

It would be a phone call asking you to come in. They wouldn’t risk a letter asking you to come in.

Told in person/phone ime but a letter of confirmation of diagnosis is sent to GP with a copy also sent to the patient.

Thank you. My friend's GP surgery sends out copies of test results to the patient and GP, but if tests were done and the tests indicated cancer, I'm assuming that as you say that the doctor would also phone and not just send the letter?

Not as a stand-alone diagnosis, no. You'd already have had a telephone call or GP's appointment, and you'd be told during that and get the chance to ask questions, and then the letter would be confirmation.

They often read as if it might be new information; but nobody is told they have cancer via letter, usually.

Well I have had numerous letters saying benign. Straight to me, same as GP but I always insist on being copied in. Presumably if it had not been benign I would still have had the same letter at the same time as the GP. Either way if it has said anything other than benign, I would have known the news was not good.

My breast clinic results were changed from a phone call to being asked to make an appointment when it was cancer. The consultant needed to discuss the likely stage, treatment plan etc.

Sorry to hear that, sending all my best.

Do you mean that a letter was sent asking you to make an appointment, or they still rang you?

Thank you OP. I’m in remission now.

They were going to ring with my results, instead they rang asking me to make an appointment and offered a specific one.

I got a letter with MRI results to tell me I'd had a stroke. No phone call first.

Wow really? I'd assume the letter asked you to attend an appointment or to call and make one?

Usually a phone call to come in but there is correspondence on the NHS app between clinicians which gives you an idea of what’s going on with your own records

Dh didn’t get a letter or told. It was written in his discharge notes which I read. I had to tell him. Gp on a house call then confirmed further findings. Three days later got a phone call from the consultants nurse confirming diagnosis.

What if a patient doesn't have the NHS app?

So effectively a patient can 'work our for themselves' that it's likely they have cancer if they have the app.

Anything is possible these days as care isn’t always great. You would like to assume that an appointment would be made quickly but I don’t think it’s always the case.

I’ve heard of people finding out from the NHS app.. One of the reasons I don’t have access to my results on there as I can’t interpret them properly.

It said I had been referred for another test and would get an appointment through for that.

What exactly does it say OP, can you share? It will likely make a difference to the answers people give.

When I was diagnosed with a melanoma, the appointment letter sent by post said to consider bringing someone with me. Turns out this was code for ‘bad news’ but I didn’t know so turned up on my own thinking it would be a routine appointment to tell me it was benign.

I knew someone who got a diagnosis of Parkinson’s via a letter. Devastating news to get by letter. For some reason cancer seems to be better in that respect than other serious illnesses.

It isn’t my letter so obviously I haven’t read it. But I could glimpse at the bottom that it said, ‘contact Macmillan support’. My friend was reading it on the way home from work.

I don’t want to ask my friend directly about this as it’s for her to share or not share, but I was concerned .

Doesn’t sound as if you’re asking ‘on behalf of a friend’ at all- you’re asking on your own behalf because you don’t want to ask your friend!

Yes, because if she wants to share then she will. But I am concerned so I am asking on here.

Unfortunately this can happen. Happened to my dear friend. Had an MRI scan and unfortunately the results, indicating cancer in multiple locations, was sent in error as a copy letter before she’d had her results appt. An awful way to find out for her and her family. It was an error and she received apologies, but it can happen.

So sorry for your friend. But the point here is that the diagnosis should not be in a letter, but the patient should be invited to an appointment?

I don’t see why results shouldn’t be communicated by letter either way. It seems to me there’s a lot of unnecessary pussyfooting around cancer - and being told to talk to your doctor/being given a follow-up appointment doesn’t not worry people. I tend to feel it’s information about the patient and the patient therefore has a right to see it at the earliest opportunity.

I can only go by my own experience.

I had a biopsy and the doctor who took it was fairly sure that it wasn't cancer. He told me that the results would take about 3-4 weeks and my GP would be in touch to discuss the results. I was reassured.
3-4 weeks later I got a phone call from the hospital department, telling me an appointment had been made with a consultant two days later. I kind of knew then that it wasn’t good news. On the upside, the cancer was treated and I’m now OK.
I don’t think a letter discussing cancer would be sent out, unless it was a mistake.

Hope your friend is Ok and if not, be a good friend to her.