Hi lionel14372,

Welcome to Cancer Chat, although I'm sorry to read about what's brought you here. I hope you're getting on OK.

Unfortunately I'm not able to advise on this and whether it's possible to self refer elsewhere. It might be good to speak about this with your GP, or otherwise our nurses are available on 0808 800 4040 (Monday-Friday, 9-5) if you'd like to talk things through.

Wishing you all the best and I hope you're able to find out more soon,

Ben
Cancer Chat Moderator

[@lionel14372]‍  I’m sorry to hear that it is hard news to take and the shock has physical effects on you for quite some time. Where do you live?

I’ve  had the same and got no complaints about the care in either of the 2 hospitals where I’m being treated. What I would say is if you are given a choice of mastectomy or lumpectomy think very carefully and research it fully. I wish I’d made a different decision and been given a lot more info about what it is really like. 

Best wishes for your treatment 

I think there is one particular in London is one of the best cancer treatment hospitals in UK. They specialize in cancer treatment and are one of the best in the world. I don't have experience of being treated there, but have heard a lot of good things from other patients. The Macmillan Trust also mentioned them to me when I was looking for options for my bowel cancer surgery.

In the end I decided to go to Paris and be treated at a specialist cancer treatment hospital. I decided to go there because my sister lives in Paris and I didn't have any family support in UK for post-op at home. I'm glad I did that because the quality of treatment and care was excellent, I felt in safe hands from the minute they accepted me and they do not have a waiting list in France. It was like: When do you want to come in? And after surgery, they also asked if I felt well enough to be discharged. No pressure, no delays, no stress. The only stress was caused by the NHS delaying the release of my medical files and diagnostic exams, I had to beg, pray and cry (literally) before two very kind souls digged my files out.

I have a HUGE RESPECT and APPRECIATION for all NHS staff, and I feel sorry for the apalling conditons they have to work in, understaffed and overstreched. It's a shame that the UK, one of the 7 richest countries in the world, does not consider health services worth of proper funding, while other countries less rich have better health services. I'm also surprised that patients seem to accept the status quo and do not demand any better...