"Having to go private for urgent tests"

Concerned Parent

My 31-year-old daughter works full-time, is mother to a two-year-old child and is completing a part- time Masters degree in a health related topic. Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) most of her adult life, she recognised the worsening symptoms over the last 9 months- excruciating pain, dramatic weight loss and bleeding and in line with all public health guidance sought immediate help

As you would imagine in December 2021, she was referred for a Colonoscopy. However, with increasingly severe symptoms and no progress from NHS Lanarkshire, by the end of April 2022, this young family had to make the stressful decision to go into debt to seek a private Colonoscopy and MRI Scan of the small bowel at a cost of over £3000. At the time of the procedure there had still been no progress from NHS Lanarkshire despite regular follow-up from my daughter and her GP and an NHS campaign telling us the the opposite would be true. 

While the Colonoscopy showed no immediate concerns, the following MRI Scan has identified two significant abnormalities requiring immediate surgery. Where would she be without having gone private?

And where are we now?

Well, she is living in fear - fear of the surgery, fear for her future and fear that NHS Lanarkshire will let her down again. She is facing the choice between going further into debt to fund private surgery or suffering another apparently never ending wait for NHS Lanarkshire to action this and risking her long-term health even more. Can we rely on NHS Lanarkshire to give this young family a chance?