I was referred by my doctor for a 2 week referral for a breast lump - that was Monday - I’ve still heard nothing about an appointment- from experience how long does it take to hear back from the hospital ?
I am sorry to hear about your situation and appreciate how difficult it is waiting for things to happen.
NHS Englandhas introduced a new target called the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS). The target is that you should not wait more than 28 days from referral to finding out whether you have cancer or not. This is part of a wider NHS England plan to focus more on the speed that someone gets their results and diagnosis.
Hospitals are struggling to meet cancer waiting targets due to staff shortages and the impact of pressures on the NHS. If you have not heard anything in the next couple of weeks it may be helpful to contact the hospital's Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)to inform them of any delays you may be experiencing. It may also be a good idea to inform your GP about the waiting period.
You may worry that if you have cancer it will spread while you are waiting, but we do know that most cancers grow slowly, so waiting a few weeks does not normally affect how well treatment works. However, it can still be very frustrating.
I hope you can get this sorted out soon.
Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.
Thanks you - on my nhs app it said to call the hospital today if I hadn’t heard anything ? I hadn’t so I called and the booking centre said the 2 week referrals was only to get an appointment- and not actually be seen within this timeframe ? Is this the right information ?
I go on holiday on 7 th July and don’t want to go away with this hanging over me
As my colleague has said in England the new guidance about waiting time says you have 28 days to be told if you have cancer. So, I am afraid I do not know when you will get your appointment.
I am so sorry, it can be worrying when you do not know when an appointment will take place. If you have concerns you can talk to the hospital Patient Advice and Liason Service (PALS) who might be able to look into to your situation.
