Changing NHS appointments
Discussion
Long story short, back in January 2010 I noticed a small spot on my scalp that kept bleeding and now finally a year and a half later I have an appointment with the MOHs surgery doctor to discuss treatment of what is now a 50p size basal cell carcinoma. It won't kill me but it needs to be cut out to stop it spreading further.
Now apart from the time it has taken to deal with this, my problem is about work and hospital appointments.
I'm freelance and work has been very thin on the ground but sod's law has dictated that a 4 day job has been offered to me next week and it will pay very well and really help out the finances this month.
My appointment is next week and I rang them to see if the day could be changed but was told that no it couldn't and my that case would be referred back to my GP if I could not make it.
The last time I got referred back it took from August last year to February this year until I was back in a specialist's office.
Just seems a bit harsh and I realise that the NHS's resources are stretched but would they still be referring me if I had a car accident on the way to the appointment.
Ah! well it's only got so big because the original 'specialist' refused to believe it was basal cell even though I have had one before and that's £500 in tax that the government won't be getting.
Just moaning, carry on.
Now apart from the time it has taken to deal with this, my problem is about work and hospital appointments.
I'm freelance and work has been very thin on the ground but sod's law has dictated that a 4 day job has been offered to me next week and it will pay very well and really help out the finances this month.
My appointment is next week and I rang them to see if the day could be changed but was told that no it couldn't and my that case would be referred back to my GP if I could not make it.
The last time I got referred back it took from August last year to February this year until I was back in a specialist's office.
Just seems a bit harsh and I realise that the NHS's resources are stretched but would they still be referring me if I had a car accident on the way to the appointment.
Ah! well it's only got so big because the original 'specialist' refused to believe it was basal cell even though I have had one before and that's £500 in tax that the government won't be getting.
Just moaning, carry on.
You need to mention the NHS Constitution and your legal right to choose the time and place of your appointment.
Providers do usually have policies whereby if you don't attend or try to change the appointment more than twice then you are bumped back to the GP.
My advice would be, go back to your GP and ask them to use the Choose and Book system (a big booking database showing all the available appointments at all the appropriate providers) to look at where you could go for your treatment - you can either then book an appointment that suits you there and then or ring the TAL (telephone appointments line) to book your appointment. Don't forget that you can go *anywhere* that is suitably qualified and providing those services at NHS Tariff Cost, that includes private hospitals.
Have a look on NHS Choices at providers in your area, you'll be able to see who delivers what and that can help you to choose too. As an example, the average waiting time from referral to first outpatient appointment at a particular BMI Healthcare Hospital is 4 days, the local acute Trust to that hospital is 18 days.
Providers do usually have policies whereby if you don't attend or try to change the appointment more than twice then you are bumped back to the GP.
My advice would be, go back to your GP and ask them to use the Choose and Book system (a big booking database showing all the available appointments at all the appropriate providers) to look at where you could go for your treatment - you can either then book an appointment that suits you there and then or ring the TAL (telephone appointments line) to book your appointment. Don't forget that you can go *anywhere* that is suitably qualified and providing those services at NHS Tariff Cost, that includes private hospitals.
Have a look on NHS Choices at providers in your area, you'll be able to see who delivers what and that can help you to choose too. As an example, the average waiting time from referral to first outpatient appointment at a particular BMI Healthcare Hospital is 4 days, the local acute Trust to that hospital is 18 days.
NHS is flawed as a system, although individuals usually try their best.
Cancer services in general aren't the NHS's best side (with notable exceptions), even though we have the expertise and treatment, simply becuase it isn't diagnosed or treated as quickly as it could be.
Having said that, by and large Cancer services struggle more because lots more people generally aren't dying 15 years earlier from cardiovascular disease as they used to. Victim of our own success in that respect.
Hope you get a decent and speedy resolution OP.
Cancer services in general aren't the NHS's best side (with notable exceptions), even though we have the expertise and treatment, simply becuase it isn't diagnosed or treated as quickly as it could be.
Having said that, by and large Cancer services struggle more because lots more people generally aren't dying 15 years earlier from cardiovascular disease as they used to. Victim of our own success in that respect.
Hope you get a decent and speedy resolution OP.
Seems silly though as with my original BCC when diagnosed to surgery was about 4 months, in which time it had got so much larger that what was supposed to be a simple nip and tuck ended up being a skin graft that had me looking like Frankenstein's Monster for quite a few months.
The surgeon even remarked that it looked so much bigger than the photograph he was given.
The surgeon even remarked that it looked so much bigger than the photograph he was given.
AlfaPapa said:
You need to mention the NHS Constitution and your legal right to choose the time and place of your appointment.
Providers do usually have policies whereby if you don't attend or try to change the appointment more than twice then you are bumped back to the GP.
My advice would be, go back to your GP and ask them to use the Choose and Book system (a big booking database showing all the available appointments at all the appropriate providers) to look at where you could go for your treatment - you can either then book an appointment that suits you there and then or ring the TAL (telephone appointments line) to book your appointment. Don't forget that you can go *anywhere* that is suitably qualified and providing those services at NHS Tariff Cost, that includes private hospitals.
Have a look on NHS Choices at providers in your area, you'll be able to see who delivers what and that can help you to choose too. As an example, the average waiting time from referral to first outpatient appointment at a particular BMI Healthcare Hospital is 4 days, the local acute Trust to that hospital is 18 days.
Been through this a number of times, hence the hospital that is now dealing with me is miles away as the closer ones had longer waiting lists. Even the one that is just a 2 mile walk away. Thanks for the suggestion.Providers do usually have policies whereby if you don't attend or try to change the appointment more than twice then you are bumped back to the GP.
My advice would be, go back to your GP and ask them to use the Choose and Book system (a big booking database showing all the available appointments at all the appropriate providers) to look at where you could go for your treatment - you can either then book an appointment that suits you there and then or ring the TAL (telephone appointments line) to book your appointment. Don't forget that you can go *anywhere* that is suitably qualified and providing those services at NHS Tariff Cost, that includes private hospitals.
Have a look on NHS Choices at providers in your area, you'll be able to see who delivers what and that can help you to choose too. As an example, the average waiting time from referral to first outpatient appointment at a particular BMI Healthcare Hospital is 4 days, the local acute Trust to that hospital is 18 days.
croyde said:
Been through this a number of times, hence the hospital that is now dealing with me is miles away as the closer ones had longer waiting lists. Even the one that is just a 2 mile walk away. Thanks for the suggestion.
Pleased to hear it 
As for cost, I'm not sure about self-pay, but it certainly wouldn't do any harm to call and enquire.
The NHS tariff is anywhere between £1045 and £3236 (assuming you don't have any complications like diabetes or high blood pressure etc). The other thing that might be worth doing, if you have their contact details, is talking to the specialist's secretary about seeing the specialist privately.
Had a BCC removed from my head privately. Price depends on the type of plastics operation required.
Total bill was £500 quid for the consultant which he waived, and £1700 for the hospital, fo a single mornings stay, GA. Reverse flap graft.
Problem with the BCC on the head is that it requires a certain margin of normal tissue surrounding it and the scalp doesn't have much extra to spare.
In my case the better cosmetic result operation wasn't available on the NHS.
Total bill was £500 quid for the consultant which he waived, and £1700 for the hospital, fo a single mornings stay, GA. Reverse flap graft.
Problem with the BCC on the head is that it requires a certain margin of normal tissue surrounding it and the scalp doesn't have much extra to spare.
In my case the better cosmetic result operation wasn't available on the NHS.
croyde said:
As an aside, has anyone had this treatment done privately? What was the cost?
I know someone who just had a decent sized BCC removed privately. The bill was just under £450 - £130 for the consult and about £320 for pathology. This one was misdiagnosed as a dermatofibroma by a series of GP's until one actually bothered to take a look at it with the help of an otoscope...of course it was x3 the original size by then. Good thing they rarely spread.Good luck with the BCC removal, 50p-sized is a big one. You'll be able to relive your very own "burning flesh" scene from Apocalypse Now assuming they cauterise it!
PhilboSE said:
croyde said:
As an aside, has anyone had this treatment done privately? What was the cost?
I know someone who just had a decent sized BCC removed privately. The bill was just under £450 - £130 for the consult and about £320 for pathology. This one was misdiagnosed as a dermatofibroma by a series of GP's until one actually bothered to take a look at it with the help of an otoscope...of course it was x3 the original size by then. Good thing they rarely spread.Good luck with the BCC removal, 50p-sized is a big one. You'll be able to relive your very own "burning flesh" scene from Apocalypse Now assuming they cauterise it!
than reliving Apocalypse Now
croyde said:
Blimey! that seems really cheap compared to one of the previous posts. They are talking about MOHs surgery though, which would seem to be a bit more labour intensive
than reliving Apocalypse Now
Indeed, Moh's will be significantly more work and any skin flaps/grafts/anaesthesia will add significantly to the cost.than reliving Apocalypse Now
The procedure I was referring to was a relatively straightforward interative cauterisation and scrape. This was done prophylactically due to location and size as the BCC wasn't diagnosed until after removal.
Well I had the appointment today. I must of been in there 3 minutes. The doc just said that I would be having Mohs surgery and asked if I knew what that was? to which I replied yes. He then told me that it maybe small or it may be big and that he would not be able to tell until the day and then he said that I would now get an operation date via the post.
He looked at me and said "You look really miffed" and I was but it wasn't his fault but surely this could have been done over the phone. A waste of their time and those 3 mins cost me a £1500 job and a new client.
"kin 'ell!!!!!!
He looked at me and said "You look really miffed" and I was but it wasn't his fault but surely this could have been done over the phone. A waste of their time and those 3 mins cost me a £1500 job and a new client.
"kin 'ell!!!!!!
Well they called me yesterday to give me an op date. They offered me one in a month and another in 2 months. They only do the ops on a Wednesday and I am free on all Wednesdays apart from two over the next few months.
Yep! you guessed it the ops are only available on the 2 Wednesdays when I am away on jobs.
I offered to go private but it's the same doc and he only does Weds. Apparently he does one NHS and 2 private on the day. So paying a small fortune will get me the same slightly arrogant doc at the same s
tty hospital.
This all seems wrong.
Sorry for the moan.
Yep! you guessed it the ops are only available on the 2 Wednesdays when I am away on jobs.
I offered to go private but it's the same doc and he only does Weds. Apparently he does one NHS and 2 private on the day. So paying a small fortune will get me the same slightly arrogant doc at the same s
tty hospital.This all seems wrong.
Sorry for the moan.
I realise how it sounds but it 'ain't gonna kill me, just make me uglier but I need to feed and clothe the kids and after a disasterous start of the year business wise, I can't keep turning down clients and the money that comes with it. The work stops after the summer and then I will have plenty of time to kill.
I know that this is not the NHS' problem as they are offering me an op, at last, but I'm just moaning as it appears that only one doc does this op at this hospital but only on Wednesdays and there are only 3 slots, 2 of which are private.
I know that this is not the NHS' problem as they are offering me an op, at last, but I'm just moaning as it appears that only one doc does this op at this hospital but only on Wednesdays and there are only 3 slots, 2 of which are private.
Just an update, I have a date in September. They were loath to give it to me as it would mean it took longer than 18 weeks to be seen. Unbelievable!
When I mentioned going private, I was offered any Wednesday that would be convenient to me with the same doc but at £2000 plus a possible £3000 afterwards for plastic surgery.
I'm quite cross about this especially as I flagged it up back at the beginning of 2011 when it was just a tiny pimple. It took 3 months to be seen and then it was a young Australian doctor who said that it was just sun damage and zapped it with liquid nitrogen.
One of the consultants I have seen since said that there was no point zapping it when they were unsure what it was.
I feel that I should set a complaint in motion as the small problem back then is now a much bigger problem and involving a far more costly operation.
When I mentioned going private, I was offered any Wednesday that would be convenient to me with the same doc but at £2000 plus a possible £3000 afterwards for plastic surgery.
I'm quite cross about this especially as I flagged it up back at the beginning of 2011 when it was just a tiny pimple. It took 3 months to be seen and then it was a young Australian doctor who said that it was just sun damage and zapped it with liquid nitrogen.
One of the consultants I have seen since said that there was no point zapping it when they were unsure what it was.
I feel that I should set a complaint in motion as the small problem back then is now a much bigger problem and involving a far more costly operation.
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