Referral timing

How long did everyone wait for their referral appointment? The gp did a fast track urgent referral last Thursday and I haven’t heard anything yet. Are you seen within the 2 weeks or is it within 2 weeks you’ll have contact about an appointment? 

Parents
  • The 2 week urgent referral has now changed. It's now called the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) and this link is helpful https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-symptoms/what-is-an-urgent-referral

    If you have been referred as Urgent by your GP and you haven't received an appointment through after 7 days, contact your GP & they will chase it up.

    Under the old system, the 2 week referral didn't mean you were seen within 2 weeks (although pre-Covid they tried to make an appointment that quickly) - it meant you would receive an appointment within 2 weeks & it would normally be for a week or two after it had been received. 

    Good luck,

    Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

  • Hi, thank you so much for this information. I rang the gp and they said the referral has gone through and I should hear from them in the next 7 days. I’m just anxious to get moving with the appointments as I’m not settling or sleeping with worry. I had stage 1 melanoma in 2008 which when very smoothly and quickly. 

    hope you are well ️

Reply
  • Hi, thank you so much for this information. I rang the gp and they said the referral has gone through and I should hear from them in the next 7 days. I’m just anxious to get moving with the appointments as I’m not settling or sleeping with worry. I had stage 1 melanoma in 2008 which when very smoothly and quickly. 

    hope you are well ️

Children
  • I'm good thank you. I was first diagnosed in 1996 & then again in 2009 when everything was done much quicker. Sadly Covid, doctors strikes, a lack of dermatologists & histologists & more people seeing their GP with worrying moles, has meant the system is a lot slower these days. Hopefully you will get an appointment without too much of a wait. Please let us know how you get on when you've seen dermatology. Good luck x