Hello there and thanks for posting

I am sorry to hear about your daughter's diagnosis and appreciate the delay in getting her wide local excision (WLE) done must be a worry for you.

The melanoma itself would have been removed during the first excision where they were also able to confirm the stage (1a which is a very small and early caught cancer) of the melanoma. A WLE is then carried out to remove a larger margin ( area of health tissue) around where the melanoma was to reduce the risk of the melanoma returning in the future.

There is more information about this here.

The NHS is under quite a lot of strain at the moment. Unfortunately, due to long waiting lists and staff shortages some people are having to wait longer than usual to be seen and get the treatment they need, which I understand can be both worrying and frustrating for patients and their loved ones.

We often suggest people speak with their team to see if there is anything that can be done to bring treatment forward and failing that some people may wish to raise a complaint to the hospital's PALS ( Patients Advice Liaison Service) department.

In many cases a delay to treatment won't make a difference to the overall outcome but do speak to your daughter's specialist doctor and see what they have to say.

No one can tell you what to do in terms of private care. This is something some patients are very fortunate financially able to do and not having to wait as long can give a sense of relief for these patients. However there are times when the wait between NHS and private is very small and may not be worth the money or effort. This is is why it is always best to ask the specialist team what they think so they can give their opinion.

I hope this is helpful but do get back if you need to. Our helpline is also open weekdays 9-5 on 0808 800 4040 so do give us a bell if you want to talk this through.

Best wishes to you and your daughter

Naomi

Thank you so much Naomi for taking the time to respond and provide a very comprehensive and honest response.

This is exactly the information I was looking for. I'm very grateful.

Thanks again.