Being really messed around by hospital :-(

Hi everyone,

I am nearly 29 years old (birthday is a week on Monday!) and in June I found a lump in my left breast. Due to my family history of breast cancer (officially classed as ‘moderate’, was referred to a genetics clinic after my mum was diagnosed 4 years ago), I was seen within two weeks at the breast clinic at the end of June. After an exam, the nurse assured me that it was nothing to worry about but that she would schedule a non urgent ultrasound just to confirm. I was told the lump would not even need a fine needle biopsy.

I had the ultrasound on the 11th of September. The doctor doing it disagreed with the nurse’s notes and said that it did need a fine needle biopsy. So, a week later I turned up to the breast clinic only to be told by the nurse that a core biopsy would be better! That was over 2 weeks ago. The hospital where the core biopsy will take place lost my referral and despite numerous phone calls, I still haven’t received an appointment. By the time I get one, I will have been waiting at least 3, or even 4, weeks for the biopsy. The lump is 13mm and is “probably benign” which is reassuring, but understandably I am still anxious and can’t help thinking of my mum who was told her lump was probably benign and it wasn’t! Thankfully she is fine now.

I am so upset that I am being treated this way and being passed from pillar to post. I know I am young and it is most likely nothing, but I have a family history of BC and surely nobody should be waiting this long for a biopsy?! The hospital haven’t even apologised for losing the referral. Am thinking of putting in an official complaint, but don’t know where to start.

Thanks for reading. Xx

Every hospital has a PALS (patient advice and liaison service) which can be the starting point to putting in a complaint. There should be leaflets around the hospital, or even a small office where you can fill in a complaint form.

 

PALS charter

The service has been set up to help patients, and their relatives and carers, find a speedy and effective solution to any problems they may encounter. We can also provide up to date information about the services available throughout the Trust.

 

If you contact PALS for assistance or advice, we will:

  • Contact you in person within 24 hours of your request or by the next working day
  • Advise you of the options available to you and help you to find the best way of resolving your problem
  • Deal with your problems in confidence and only pass on information to other people or departments with your permission
  • Keep you advised at all times of the progress of any action you ask us to take on your behalf
  • Use anonymised information from our contact with you to improve hospital services for the future
  • Only access your medical records or obtain information about you with your agreement
  • Ask you if you are happy with the help we gave and ask you for suggestions for making the service better
  • Ensure that no person who contacts the Service receives less favourable treatment from PALS on the grounds of their sex, marital status, race, colour, creed, religion, physical disability, mental health, learning difficulty, age or sexual orientation
  • If you are a relative/carer/friend of a patient we will obtain where possible the written or verbal permission of the patient before we can assist with the problem

Sending best wishes

 

poemsgalore x