PET scan results - waiting time

[rrrrrreatt]

Has anyone got any experience with PET scans and engaging with services (scanning service, older people psychiatry, GPs) that could help me please?

My mum’s had signs of memory loss for over a year and was referred by her GP to her local older age psychiatry team for a dementia assessment. They did an initial assessment inc speaking to my brother who lives nearby for his opinion.

They also referred my mum for a PET scan which she had in mid October. She still hasn’t had any results and, when she asked her GP, they said she needs to contact the psychiatry team. She’s tried but can’t get through to the original nurse she spoke to as they work part time. No one else seems concerned but a 4 month wait for results seems a long time to me?

My mum’s always hated making a fuss and, especially now she also gets easily confused, struggles to navigate complicated admin tasks. I live too far away to just go round and physically help her with it, is there anything I can do remotely to make it easier to help with her paperwork?

I normally send my brother round to scan/photograph paperwork (with her consent) so I can explain the contents and call/email for her (again with her consent). His third child is due soon though so I’m keen to find a more sustainable solution before they arrive!

You could put a redirection on her address so all mail comes to you?

If she has a nice neighbour, you could use their address to send things to her if she needed them.

That is a ridiculously long time for PET scan results. I had a PET scan on 7 Jan and saw the consultant for the results on the 16th, which I personally thought was a long time. However, mine was for cancer, which may get expedited.

Keep pushing for it.

i got my mum to sign a form my gp has to give me permissions to do stuff. i can now chase up stuff on my mums behalf.

she waited ages for scan results too. we were told in our case that they look over them and if seemingly ok they pass on to have a doctor write. that’s why there’s a delay. anything dodgy gets to the doctor asap.

Thank you for the replies - it’s good to know I’m not being unrealistic to expect she’d have results from her PET scan by now.

I’ll speak to her about formally giving me permission to help with her GP, I think she’d be open to that. I’d happily receive all her post too but I don’t think she’d be happy with that. And she still currently has capacity to make decisions for herself, despite being quite muddled some days.