"GP Referal after lump found in my breast October 2019"

I saw my GP in October. I was sent for a “one stop” breast screening appointment a week later at East Surrey hospital after finding a lump and dimpling in the skin on my breast. 

After an examination by the consultant who was indifferent and unfriendly and showed no care or compassion for me, I was told that it didn’t look like anything but they would refer me for a mammogram appointment. I expressed my concern at the lump and dimpling of the skin and was told that they hadn’t seen any dimpling of the skin. The examination was not thorough and was done very quickly. I stated that I was expecting a mammogram an ultrasound and possible biopsy at this appointment. This person told me that they were short of radiographers and I would have to come back for a mammogram and that there was a 2 week rule from this appointment to have the mammogram and that the department concerned would contact me to make the appointment. What was the point of even coming to this appointment as they repeated less effectively what my GP had done. It  like it was stalling to keep to the time parameters. I felt the consultant did not care when I expressed my concern about having to wait for more appointments and that I knew it was crucial to be diagnosed as soon as possible for breast cancer. I left this appointment terribly upset, incredibly distressed and totally unsatisfied with how I was treated.

I took it upon myself to contact the X-ray department and told them I  would go to any of their available hospitals at anytime and would make myself available within an hours notice if they had a cancellation. They made an appointment for mammogram within a week at Crawley. They were unable to make appointment for ultrasound before I went away a few days after. They could not make appointments for biopsies without results from mammogram and ultrasound. The Ultrasound appointment had to be after mammogram.  I contacted them a number of times to see if they had received any cancellation appointments which they had not. They said they were busy and they would not be able to call me back if they received cancellations. This again was an extremely distressing experience when I knew time was of the essence. 

I went back to my GP incredibly upset the next Monday as it felt like the lump was getting bigger. He re-referred me to Royal Surrey County Hospital Guildford. I again took it upon myself to call their appointments department  on the Tuesday. They didn’t have appointments that week but the receptionist said she would call me back if they had a cancellation which she did that afternoon. I had appointment on the Thursday. I cancelled my Crawley Hospital mammogram. 

I received a thorough examination at Guilford. The friendly and caring consultant was concerned. I then had a mammogram followed by ultrasound then 4 biopsies followed by a small titanium marker being inserted. I then had another mammogram. All this was done within 3 hours. I have been told that it is highly likely that I will need treatment but that they need the results of biopsies to know what type of treatment I need. The results will take 1-2 weeks. I felt valued and incredibly well cared for at Guilford Hospital by all the staff that I came across.