Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'

Replies

By katew

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sat 16 Aug 2008 08:01

ive found sam that if you are ill with whatever you are let down by the NHS.

no matter where you live

By sky

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sat 16 Aug 2008 21:49

Yep. Promise the world and only turn up with the sh***y half.
If I end up with it I'll tell them exactly what to do with their treatments .
Was it James Dean that said "ride hard. Die young. have a beautiful corpse"?
Too late for the beautiful bit but you get what I mean

By Shldvds

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Wed 20 Aug 2008 22:12

I have had the experience of cancer treatment/operation and radiotherapy through the NHS in Scotland and have nothing but praise for the excellent service they provided and the speed of dealing with the issue.
I was consulted at every step and kept fully informed as to what was being considered. It now appears that I may have to undergo further treatment/operation(nobody's fault but a possible reccurence) and while it is not something I would wish for I would be happy to be treated by our NHS. They do a remarkable job for thousands of people every day of the year. Yes, mistakes will happen, but these I would suggest are more to do with human error than NHS error. When so many people are being treated for various cancers it is inevitable that mistakes will occur. To err is human, to forgive, divine!
Sheila.

By meg mackenzie

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sat 23 Aug 2008 19:38

In April 2006 my OH was given six weeks to live by his (then) urology consultant. We got a second opinion and he has received first class radical treatment from the same hospital under a different consultant who intends to keep a close eye on him lest the cancer returns. However when leaving his last clinic appointment we booked his next one before we left and the nearest to three months he could get was five. We booked that and made dental appointments to fit round our 6 hour journey with an overnight stay before the clinic, only to receive a letter today to say the October appointment has been changed to February next year. This has not been done at the Consultant`s instigation as he is currently up the AMAZON on a charity mission!

Hubby is quite anxious as he would have been due a scan in December as part of his on-going healthcheck and had already been told how important these scans are to keep an eye on things.

Perhaps this is how other folk slip through the net and don`t get treatment in time.

Take care
Meg

By mag

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sun 24 Aug 2008 19:43

I too have experience of cancer treatment in Scotland and have every confidence that I have received and continue to receive the best possible attention. Early 2006 I was given an appointment with specialist for three weeks after referral by GP(this had to be extended to four weeks because the roads were impassable due to blizzards - lol this is Scotland ). At that appointment I had various scans & biopsies and was told there and then I had breast cancer, would require mastectomy and chemotherapy, maybe also radio. My operation was booked for 4 weeks after that but during those 4 weeks I had other appointments for more biopsies & tests. Four weeks after the op I commenced chemo. At all times my Specialist talked to me and explained the situation.

I found the experience, especially chemo with all its side effects, very isolating and lonely but this was mainly due to the fact that no matter what I was dealing with myself, I remained my hubby's Carer. Because of this I could not "linger" to talk to others and receive emotional support. - I always was aware that I needed to hurry home to make sure he was ok. Also, staff would ask "is your husband not here with you?" "Are you here alone?" Our hospital appointments entail a 90 mile round trip so that takes quite a lot of time too.

I continue to have medication and regular check-ups and am so grateful for all the care and attention I receive at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary .

Dear Sheila - I'm glad that you are receiving good care and attention. Sending you hugs and warm good wishes on this journey which none of us would have chosen.

Mag

By mag

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sun 31 Aug 2008 15:51

My computer has been playing up quite a lot recently so after having another week when I was unable to access internet, I am now trying to catch up on this forum. It occurred to me that, on reading this thread, my own contribution above is an example of NHS working well and I am thankful for this.

However, it is heartbreaking to hear of cancer patients who have been denied treatment because the not so nice N.I.C.E. will not authorise health boards to use drugs which may prolong/improve life. Many cancer patients have to fight for their life when they are most vulnerable.

 

By Phillipa

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Wed 24 Sep 2008 12:48

Don't get me started on NICE. Thanks to our wonderful oncologist and team, we did get approval for a drug to be prescribed and the change in three weeks is amazing. Still have complications and new set of side effectsm but the battle with PCT's, NICE, and doctors to get the right treatment.
To have the local NHS Trust write other half off and just offer sympathy is infuriating. Have not been fighting for 19 months to meet this attitude . They couldn't even be bnothered to read the file I carried with me, so I got him to discharge himself and back under the care of the team, that got us this far.

We donl;t live in Scotland, I cannot comment on that situation, but I am able to comment on the quality care of the ,ocal NHS Trust..ZILCH...when the word terminal is mentioned If OH had stayed in there he would have died. I have had to bang heads, write letters of complaint and then get a patronizing reply from the Chief Executive, who still not address the issues, so back to letter writing and if issues are still not addressed , it;s off to the Health Commission AGAIN

By cracker

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sat 27 Sep 2008 22:39

I believe that the Scotlands health service is much superior to England in many ways. I do know a person from Scotland and her treatment has been exellent plus the follow up.In England you have to fight all the way for everything.

By mag

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sun 28 Sep 2008 15:20

A few months ago a man in north Scotland with terminal bowel cancer was fighting for the right to have a drug which can increase life expectancy - this was widely reported in newspapers and on TV at the time and eventually his efforts resulted in the drug being prescribed for patients in the same situation as his. Sadly this decision came too late to be of benefit to him but his legacy is that others will benefit from the fact that this drug is now prescribed here in Scotland.

The drug was already being freely prescribed in England!

The cancer journey is a fight all the way no matter where you are.

By Bernie56

Re: Cancer patients 'failed by NHS'
Sun 28 Sep 2008 18:53

I think the fight for cancer drugs is a regional rather than country based issue. Any drugs that can enhance a cancer sufferers life should be available wherever you live. That is what the NHS is supposed to be there for and it is failing people badly when they have to fight for what should be their right!!!