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Feeling fobbed off - BCC

L92Ex
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Hi all!

I've been told by my GP I have a BCC on the end of my nose. It's gotten bigger over the past six months as I've had a few appointments with my GP over it. He then got a second opinion and the other GP said the same and that I need a referral. 

I then had to ring the hospital for an appointment (not a two week wait one) as it had been 5 weeks and I still had no appointment. The appointment woman basically said she can't give me one and that I would have to wait as they had a back log from over a year due to COVID said bye and put the phone down... I was mortified as she wasn't bothered at all and quite abrupt.

Sounds silly but, because of the location it's bothering me so much!  I completely understand because at COVID they have a long list but surely they can still send appointments out? 
 

I get married at the end of this year and I just want something in the pipeline appointment wise so I know where I'm at...

Please nobody shoot me down for this post, I was told the other day by someone that a BCC wasn't an important skin cancer - which I get as there are people worse than me but it was still a kick in the teeth.

 

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    Hi,

    I can understand your anxiety and frustration. Pre-Covid, the average wait for a non urgent dermatology appointment was 6 weeks and then another 10 weeks for it removing by excision surgery. Every hospital is suffering different time delays so it may be worth contacting your GP and asking if there is another hospital in your area that you can be referred to in the hope they have a shorter waiting list. Explain that the anxiety of the wait is making you feel stressed & ill and that, for your mental wellbeing, you need this dealing with as quickly as possible and before your wedding. Hopefully they can find you a hospital that can deal with it quicker.

    The only other option is to consider paying for a private consultation and then ask to be transferred back to the NHS for the surgery - it may speed things up a little. You definitely need to discuss this with your GP which I'm sure they will do by telephone appointment.

    Good luck and I hope you manage to get an appointment within the next few weeks,

    Angie (melanoma patient) 

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