Has anyone else had trouble with referrals?
I was referred by BC surgeon to plastic surgeon last Oct. Saw Plastic surgeon in Dec and had scan in Jan. Met surgeon in Feb who said I needed a letter of referral from my GP before I could go on waiting list. So I contacted my GP who said he’s send a letter straight away. I contacted the plastic surgeon to make sure that she had the letter from the GP, she said she had and I was now on the list.
So I’ve been a good girl and waited, but just thought I’d ask the plastic surgeon when op is likley to happen, as I’ve not heard, and she said she is still waiting for referral letter from my GP, which she said she had in Feb. Phoned my GP they have no record of a letter being sent but will send one today so it looks like I’m still not even on the waiting list. I feel very let down and frustrated.
I was told when I had my Mx in Oct 2009 that they could not do imediate recon as they needed to get to the area for rads. But After my Mx they said I didn’t need rads, just chemo, so I could have had imediate recon in the first place. Then it would have just been done and none of this waiting list business.
Sorry just need a rant…
Happened to me loads, i decided there was only one person to take care of me and thats me. Everytime they book an appointment for something i give it a week and then contact them to make sure its done. If im due an echo scan i have to remind them. Useless lot really the admin brigade and its because there are two many departments involved.
I decided its part of cancer treatment to have to chase your own treatment up.
Yes very worrying and it does seem to be that we have to often manage things - my Onc does not even write about my full state of health to my employer for treatment for cancer as my treatment in my arm was referred to orthoepaedics and he leaves this out (!) and even when meeting with Onc they seem to loose track of treatments for different aspects of my cancer (bones mets and liver mets) and need reminding of both aspects when prescribing drugs…
You are now “on the case” - keep with it even if you feel like you are pestering would be my advice.
Fran
Thanks Hatty and Fran,
It’s not the first time for me that admin and appointments have messed up. It’s just that we don’t deserve to have the agro, we’ve got enough to cope with. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone sort it all out for us and co-ordinate all the appointments and the different departments, then just tell us where to go and when.
Like you I didnt have an immediate reconstruction but I did actually have radiotheropy and i believe you have to wait around 1 year afterwards for you to heal up et. However now all my treatment has finished I have been asking for a referral to the plastic surgeon and each time I ask my BCN i am told she will do one - but when I contact her again, its not been done and she says she will do one, I do understand I can’t have the treatment yet - but at least I want to get on the waiting list - but before this I want to establish what my options are. I too am getting a bit annoyed in this dilly dalling by the BCN, if theres a problem I would much prefer she explained this rather than keep saying she is doing something and its not done. I asked her the last time (last week) if I need to go to my GP and she said no, I also asked her if I needed to put it in writing and she said no - I will wait another week or so and if I have heard nothing then I intend to write so at least they have a formal record of it and hopefully they will respond this time.
do put it in writing, they dont want it in writing as you have real proof as to there cock ups.
Managed to see the PS at the end of April. She was very sorry for the problems I’ve had with refferals, promised me she would fit me in for the op. in June. I then had all the pre op. assessments done at the hospital as well as photos. And then came home to wait for an admissions letter to arrive… I’m still waiting…
How much notice do they give you for a big op. like the DIEP recon?