Hi MustangSally,

I know that several hospitals throughout the country are suffering from delays during Covid which isn't helped by a very large lack of dermatologists in some hospitals (a long running recruiting problem). However, your delayed appointment is the longest wait I have yet heard of.

My advice would be threefold - contact the hospital and tell them you would be happy to take a last minute cancellation should one occur (only if you can make it on the same day as the call). This may move your appointment a little closer. I would also ask my GP if there is another hospital in the area that has a shorter waiting list - even if it means travelling further. Lastly, I would consider having my initial appointment privately. In some areas the private appointment lists aren't very much quicker than the NHS ones as the private consultants and staff have also been providing NHS Covid cover but it's worth checking out. Many private dermatologists also do NHS work so if you can afford a private consultation (usually around the £250 mark) and they think your mole is concering & needs removing for biopsy, you can then ask to be transferred to the NHS list for the surgery & further follow up. Doing it this way just sometimes makes the start of the process a little quicker. One of the country's largest private health companies provides dermatology services and you can also find private mole clinics in your area by looking on Google.

I hope this helps & you manage to get seen before 1st June. Please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient)

Hi Matt,

You are right to push for an explanation and possibly removal if the mole is worrying you so much and there is a family history of melanoma.  Meanwhile, have you considered using something like the SkinVision app which may help either ease or confirm your worries? The MelanomaUK charity are receiving testimonials from melanoma patients whose melanoma was picked up by the app when their GP's dismissed their worries. You may find this link interesting www.melanomauk.org.uk/.../21-of-melanomas-undiagnosed-during-covid-19

Thank you for your kind words. I have been in remission (No Evidence of Disease) as a Stage 3 patient for almost 12 years but I never sit on my laurels as my Stage 1 melanoma came back Stage 3 after a 13 year hiatus! I just live each day to the full, just in case :wink:

Good luck with your appointment and please let us know how it goes,

Angie 

Matt,

Forget my advice about the app - I see from another post that you already use it so that's great. Take care,

Angie

Thank you very much Angie for your expertise! I think I will call the hospital and ask about the cancellation list... I did mull over the private route but I just don't have the finances to start that ball rolling despite the importance of it! The Nurse Practitioner from my GP said about the wait "you're a spring chicken, cancers of the feet are very slow growing and age is on your side" which is slightly relieving but worrying non the less! I will definitely update as and when I can as I would like to give people some sort of reference if going through anything similar. Thank you once again and wish you luck with your own journey x

I can vouch for the SkinVision app, it is really good. 

It is funny what you say about the Nurse Practitioner. Like all these professionals they know their stuff and as such almost expect you to 100% trust them however, when you are worried you cannot help but have that little bit of doubt. 

I hope things go well with your appointment when it comes round and hopefully you get something sooner. I'll post an update about mine too, always good to form alliances at times in your life like this. 

Hey,

Just a small update... I was called "out of the blue" last Thursday (6th May) by NHS and said that a second consultant had looked at my picture and requested that I be seen quickly so was offered the choice of 2 different hospitals to go to. They were futher away but that's fine, I was just glad I was actually getting seen quicker! So had a letter come through post with new appointment date of 20th May and a leaflet with "Why have I been given a 'Two Week Wait' hospital appointment?" (which I had not received before). Will update again after the appointment. Hope everyone is keeping ok..!

That's good to hear. Hope all goes well at your apointment xx

Hey!

I think your experience confirms a lot of my suspicions with dermatologists and consultants in general. One may not see anything of concern and another just wants it removed on the cautionary side. But I guess any "red flag" would push you down a two week route to ensure it happens so you don't get pushed back again and again. 

I have my appointment (review) tomorrow. I have two on my foot - one is super old and never changed, a little funny in colour but great symmetry and then the other is better on colour but not great symmetry. Funny things moles but as my dermatologist told me, view them as family. You would feel unsettled if someone at a family was not someone you recognised or knew or "looked" very different. Treat moles the same way.

I'll let you know how I get on. A bit nervous now it's only tomorrow.

Matt

Good luck today! Hope you get on ok :happy:

Hey! 

So it went well today. My dermatologist, a student and a nurse in the room. Both the dermatologist and nurse referred to the photos taken 6 months ago which were on a screen in different angles and colours and they believe now change. So they are happy not to see me for another year. 

He explained a lot to me so I believe all I can do is trust them and wait till next year.