What happens if you are too unwell to travel to see the consultant oncologist?

[cheeseytoastie]

A friend of mine is too unwell to make the journey from his home to our nearest cancer treatment centre to get his initial meeting with the consultant. Does anyone know if they can (and do) come out to your house? I've tried looking on the centre's website but there's nothing about this and their GP seems fairly useless. He's had all his test and scans done at the local hospital, but they don't have any specialists there. We're in Scotland if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance.

Hi CT sorry to hear this.
We had to take (drag) my mum when she was too ill.
Am not sure if it is different now that was 6 years ago.

Is he too unwell due to his cancer ?

I don't think they will come out.
They might provide transport, but it is pretty crap.
Can you phone the consultant's secretary? Or contact the local support group for cancer patients?

Our local consultants used to travel out to patients home, speak to the secretary and explain your worries and get GP / district nurses to back up the request.

Sorry to hear such sad news

Thanks, he's in normal hospital right now having developed pneumonia and he was meant to have seen consultant at cancer centre today. It's a good hour in the car, he can bearly sit in a chair for more than 2 mins. Maybe they'd send an ambulance but it just seems mad, this is his main appointment where they'll get a prognosis and I can't see when he'll be well enough to go.

Thanks NWB, that's a good idea. It's so hard to know the procedure and to give ideas to them.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

IME, if he's already in hospital, the consultant might come to see him if he has other patients there too. Failing that he'll probably have to go in an ambulance on a stretcher.

If he is in hospital, then the consultant should definately visit. The consultant he is currently under on this admission, should be able to discuss the case openly with the oncologist and let you know the plan.
They should be talking openly and discussing this sort of thing with the family. If they get nowhere get them to talk to patient liasion who will get the discussions moving
hth

Yes, if he is an in-patient atm, then the consultant may well visit or have one of his/her registrars of that isn't possible.

Normal practice would be that he would be transferred by ambulance to the cancer centre, and admitted there.

Oncologists do do clinics at more local hospitals, but he would have been made an appointment at that if possible