I'd like to add from experience that GPs sometimes don't do referral that day. Mine sat on a referral for over a week. Worth checking with surgery it's been done and sent.
How soon you will be seen at the breast clinic will depend on what type of referral your GP has done.
If your GP has done an urgent referral then you would see a breast specialist within two weeks. However, if they do not think an urgent referral is needed, you will see a specialist within 18 weeks. You can read more about the NHS waiting timeson the NHS website . Unfortunately, we do know that people across the UK are waiting longer to be seen.
GP's follow the NICE ( National Institute of health and Care Excellence) suspected cancer guidelines on how urgent a referral needs to be to see a breast specialist. This will depend on a person's symptoms. I'm not sure how old you are but the guidelines say women who are under the age of 30 with a breast lump that isn't caused by anything else should have a non-urgent referral to the breast clinic. This is because breast cancer in this age group is rare, it mainly affects older women. GP's often will get advice from the breast clinic about which type of referral is needed.
The organisation Breast Cancer Now has information on what to expect when you’ve been referred to the breast clinic. The majority of women referred to the breast clinic will not have breast cancer.
I hope you know more soon and that everything turns out to be okay. Give us a ring if you would like to talk anything over. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.
