Hospital waiting times :(

rumred

kazzah wrote: »

when i commented on the speeed the dermatologist told me that the GOVERNMENT has a 6 week required target for SEEING and DEALING with suspicious moles

The government has a target that anyone presenting at their GP with anything suspicious of cancer (mole, breast lump, odd bowel habits, whatever) will be seen by a specialist within 2 weeks of seeing their GP. If it is malignant, then they must start treatment within 4 weeks of their initial GP visit. That's the government talking.

So, if you don't have something suspicious of cancer, you will have a long wait as hospitals try and meet the 2 week wait targets so they don't get fined.

You should be able to 'choose and book' at a hospital with a shorter waiting time if you wish - ask your GP.

NHS consultants who do private work are contracted to do a minimum number of hours NHS work (I can't quote the figure, sorry). Some make a fortune doing it, some don't. One consultant I worked with would not do private work, she didn't agree with it. And she had a waiting time of about 4 weeks... Hm...

The American system is as good as you can afford it to be. I would be mightily pee'd off if I was unhooked from a cardiac monitor and shown the door because my insurance cover had stopped, for whatever reason - and I saw that happen when I worked there.

Good luck with your respective consultations and treatments.

(Right, off my soap box and on to introduce myself properly!)

brightonman123

i'd be cocerned seeing a private gp etc, after he'd already done a full wek's NHS work.. hardly fit to treat me properly?

wendy_the_goat

I've been waiting since last July to see a consultant about an operation on my eye. FINALLY got an appointment to seee him for the first time this month. God only knows how long i'll wait now for the actual op!

Colin2511

kazzah wrote: »

COLIN _ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CONTACT YOUR MP

when i commented on the speeed the dermatologist told me that the GOVERNMENT has a 6 week required target for SEEING and DEALING with suspicious moles
so start making a NOISE - 11 weeks is a joke
.

Thank-you I will, the GP sat trying to get all sorts of appointments for us, he did get one for 10 days time, but they refused to see us , as my daughter is only 7, and they did not do paediatrics (apparently thats the hold up), I went back to see the GP without my daughter and got in a state, I appreciate it is not his fault, and he was trying his best, which is why he brought up the private - its the same consultant, different hospital (20 miles away, but we said we would travel just go for the first appointment) . I am sure they will say its nothing, (or just a nasty growth that he has said would need to be removed by a plastic surgeon), but as we all have red hair fair skin, we need to be careful.. and when the doc says its urgent, it gets me worrying

kazzah

Colin2511 wrote: »

Thank-you I will, the GP sat trying to get all sorts of appointments for us, he did get one for 10 days time, but they refused to see us , as my daughter is only 7, and they did not do paediatrics (apparently thats the hold up), I went back to see the GP without my daughter and got in a state, I appreciate it is not his fault, and he was trying his best, which is why he brought up the private - its the same consultant, different hospital (20 miles away, but we said we would travel just go for the first appointment) . I am sure they will say its nothing, (or just a nasty growth that he has said would need to be removed by a plastic surgeon), but as we all have red hair fair skin, we need to be careful.. and when the doc says its urgent, it gets me worrying

I hope that you get good news and that there is nothing wrong with your daughter - it is worrying how many people are diagnosed with melanoma
halfway through my treatment my husbands nephew was diagnosed with secondary cancers in the brain from a malignant melanoma on his back two years previously - sadly he died aged just 34 - they did live in South Africa for many years prior to his diagnosis and like me and your family they are fairskinned

thankfully people are much more aware these days about the dangers of sunbathing, but it isn't the only factor in this disease - my mole was on the inside of my calf by my knee - an area which is never even exposed to the sunshine ( I don't have good legs for minis skirts!) let alone ever been sunburnt

hopefully once the mole is removed your daughter will have no further symptoms
like you, i don't think you should have to pay privately - but also like you if it was my child, I would do it to make sur she was seen ASAP
fingers crossed for the ebst outcome for you all