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Thanks to the team for the speed and care they showed

Posted By rcdsal54

"Thanks to the team for the speed and care they showed"

About: Fife Community Services / Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service (RCDS)

(as a staff member posting for a patient/service user),

I attended my GP with a pain just under my ribs on my left hand side. The pain was worrying as my family has a history of cancer and I wanted to get this checked.  My GP made an appointment to have a X-Ray at Queen Margaret hospital. 

After the X ray I was told I had COPD and was expecting a call from my GP to discuss this further.  However after a couple weeks as I still hadn't heard I decided to contact my GP for another appointment.  At this appointment my GP informed me that I didn't actually have COPD and as I was still having pain on my left side he would refer me to the RCDS unit for further tests.

I was at this stage slightly concerned that a had been told I had COPD when I did not.  I was then contacted by Georgia from the RCDS team who could not have been more helpful.  Georgia very quickly arranged a CT scan and informed me of what would be happening and the timescales.

In less than a week I had the scan and the results, what a great service. Nothing seemed too much bother and any questions I had were answered quickly and professionally.  I felt very relieved that the results were clear. I still have my rib pain but at least I know it's not cancer. Thanks to the RCDS team for the speed and care they showed me during a worrying time. 

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Responses

Response from Murdina MacDonald, Lead Cancer Nurse, Cancer Services, NHS Fife 2 weeks ago
Murdina MacDonald
Lead Cancer Nurse, Cancer Services,
NHS Fife

Submitted on 15/04/2024 at 10:32
Published on Care Opinion at 10:32

Dear rcdsal54

My name is Murdina MacDonald and I am the Lead Cancer Nurse for NHS Fife and the Professional Lead Nurse for RCDS. thank you for taking the time to share your care experience with us.

It’s understandable that given your family history of cancer, the experience of having pain under your ribs would be particularly anxiety-inducing. Such concerns can weigh heavily on one’s mind, and it’s crucial to address them so am pleased you attended your GP and it’s good to hear that your GP took swift action by scheduling an X-ray at Queen Margaret hospital. Waiting for further information from your GP must have been a stressful period. However, taking the initiative to follow up when you hadn’t heard back is the right action to take. It’s unfortunate that there was a miscommunication regarding the COPD diagnosis, but I’m glad your GP took the next steps to investigate your ongoing pain. It’s wonderful to hear that Georgia from the RCDS team provided such attentive and efficient care. Keeping you informed about the process is an important part of our person centred approach. I'm pleased that you were able to have the CT scan and receive the results in less than a week. This quick turnaround hopefully eased some of your anxiety during what must have been a worrying time.

I’m relieved to hear for you that the results were clear, providing you with some peace of mind, even though the rib pain persists.

The RCDS team’s speed and care clearly made a positive impact on your experience, and it’s really appreciated that you took the time to acknowledge their efforts.

While this platform respects anonymity, if you’re interested in addressing the concerns raised regarding communication with the relevant medical practice, I can assist you in sharing your story with them. To proceed, I would need the name of the practice. If you wish to proceed please contact me via email at murdina.macdonald@nhs.scot.

Warm Regards

Murdina Macdonald

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