went to the GP to ask for a referral to a hospital in another county and therefore PCT. I am wanting a DIEP which my local hospital does not offer and quite frankly I would not want surgery there. Anyway, the GP seemed a bit reticent initially but agreed to fax letter to request initial appointment.
Anyway, its got me thinking. Was his reticence from the fact that this will be a costly operation and the GP practice will have to pay for it (I don’t know if this is the case). I know that I have a legal right to request treatment where I want for this but starting to get paranoid that if GP practice has to pay, that they may refuse to do this, especially with health reforms around the corner.
I asked my breast surgeon when I was at yearly check up to refer me for breast reconstruction. It was no bother to him, in fact he was all for it. I think in Scotland anyway, anyone affected by breast cancer is entitled to reconstrctive surgery. I was advised at my appt to opt for tram flap surgery. I had this done in Dec 2010 and I am very pleased with the results.
Thanks ladies, I think it is just paranoia because it has taken a lot to get to this decision and just want it to go as smoothly as possible. The surgeon I want has said its a year waiting list after initial consultation so just think thats plenty of time for something to go wrong in the process!
hi there I am in N Wales and have to have mx, I had one 14yrs ago other side, I lived in Scotland then…they cannot offer imm recon in N wales and would generally refer to Chester/liverpool, I wanted surgeon who did first mx to do this one so they had to apply for
funding, which was agreed, it was just a formality??? …so they said… I am not sure if it would have been so straightforward if it had been able to be done in this health authority, but you are correct you have a right to choose, …it’s just how easy they make it for you???
I hope it works out for you cheers Jeanette XX
I am in Cheshire. Had mastectomy with immediate tissue expander recon at the time, two years ago.
It went wrong, and my original surgeon referred me to another (much better hospital) right out of the area, to try and pick up the pieces (sorry if this sounds negative, but i have had an awful time of it lately, and am very angry).
Anyway, my new plastic surgeon wrote a letter to my GP, saying that i wished to have my surgery performed by him, and please approve the funding.
I then made loads of phonecalls to the practice manager, explaining that my recon was in such a state and funding needed to be approved now!
Within a week it was sorted, although i was told, that if i had not had the problems that i have, it would have taken a whole lot longer…(months).
You have a right to a decent recon after BC if you so wish,and to me that be anywhere that does it well and you are happy with.
All the vest best.
It can be a long winded process, but you will get there in the end.
“went to the GP to ask for a referral to a hospital in another county and therefore PCT”
Right. A PCT is a primary care trust - that only includes things like dentists, GPs, health clinics etc.
Hospitals aren’t PCTs and they aren’t funded by PCTs. They are NHS Trusts. But they can only act (if you are not already in the middle of a course of treatment) after a referral by a GP - this releases THEIR funding, the GP doesn’t pay.
It depends where you live. The Government have brought in reforms to abolish PCT’s and make GP Consortia responsible for funding treatments (consortia are large practices, or practices in a particular area working together).
The Government have extended the consultation process, but the Consortia are going ahead. Sussex are leading the way and all the PCT’s in Sussex have formed into a cluster to act as an advisory body to GP Consortia.
Also, Ninja, my understanding is that currently hospitals bill PCT’s for the treatment they provide, and if treament is non-standard (not routinely funded), they are sometimes refused funding. For example, when I was referred for stereotactic radiotherapy, the hospital had to make an application for funding to my PCT (which was refused, as only 28 PCT’s out of 150 fund that particular treatment). If you contact your PCT, you can find out what they will or won’t fund.