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"My radiotherapy journey"

About: Cancer Services / Radiotherapy General practices in Fife Victoria Hospital / Dermatology

(as the patient),

I am more than happy with my treatment here. I cannot praise the staff highly enough. I could not be in better hands. The beginning was not good for me but after that was all sorted out it has been excellent.

I was referred to Dermatology at the Victoria in Kirkcaldy and there was a misdiagnosis. The dermatologist there, on looking at a photograph of the carcinoma, downgraded it to routine from urgent which would have taken 12 weeks or more to progress. Unfortunately, they did not read the Doctor’s referral letter properly and missed the detailed description that this was a very aggressive tumour. We decided to pay for a private consultation to get a diagnosis. A biopsy was done the same day and 2 weeks later I was fast tracked to the NHS.

I have to mention Mr Mahmood at the Victoria, Kirkcaldy who did a skin graft in a consulting room with me in a reclining chair, which meant I could go ahead more quickly with radiotherapy and not have to wait 3/4 months. I think this man saved my life. And I was lucky I could afford the £800 to have a private consultation.

I also think that my GP could have gone back to Dermatology in Kirkcaldy when they were told that this had been downgraded and I would have to wait 12 weeks or more and I don’t think this is right. They had seen the carcinoma and knew it was very serious and they could have at least tried to discuss it with Dermatology, but they didn’t. This was very disappointing.

My treatment at Radiology in Ninewells has been superb and I have no complaints at all.

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Responses

Response from Jenna MacKinnon, Therapeutic radiographer, Radiotherapy, NHS Tayside 2 months ago
Jenna MacKinnon
Therapeutic radiographer, Radiotherapy,
NHS Tayside
Submitted on 01/08/2025 at 10:32
Published on Care Opinion at 10:32


Dear Naples1,

My name is Jenna-I'm one of the therapeutic radiographers from the radiotherapy department.

Thank you for taking the time to leave your comments for us and it's good to hear that you found your experience coming for radiotherapy to be a positive one-I will make sure I pass this on to the staff.

It's clear you've had so much to deal with since your initial referral and I'm so sorry to hear that you've felt like the best way forward was to go privately in order to get more answers quickly regarding your diagnosis-it must have been very stressful for you with all the unknowns and miscommunications.

I do hope that your comments about your experience will be heard from the GP practice and learned from.

On behalf of the radiotherapy team, we wish you all the best in your recovery.

Take care,

Jenna

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Response from Fife Health & Social Care Partnership 2 months ago
Submitted on 08/08/2025 at 16:43
Published on Care Opinion at 16:43


Dear Naples1,

My name is Emily Stuart, and I am the Improvement Coordinator in Primary & Preventative Care.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am really pleased to hear that your treatment overall has been excellent, and I appreciate your feedback on the process. I am sorry that your referral was downgraded from urgent to routine and the impact that had on your care. While it appears, the GP made the appropriate referral, I recognise your disappointment that there was not further follow-up once the downgrade was communicated.

If you would like to discuss this further or would like me to raise it with the practice, please feel free to contact me at, emily.stuart2@nhs.scot

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