Long wait for cancer tests

Shropshire women are having to wait as long as five months for follow-up breast cancer tests, it was revealed today.Hospital managers admit there is a problem over lengthy waiting times but say action is being taken to tackle it.

Today, a Shropshire campaigner for improved breast cancer care said there appeared to be an “ongoing problem” over long waits for mammograms - an X-ray of the breasts.

Julia Black, who lives near Whitchurch, said she knew of a woman who, faced with a long wait for a mammogram and not having the results in time for her annual check-up, had paid for it to be carried out.

She said it was vital women had their results before a follow-up appointment.

One patient, who had undergone a lumpectomy - an operation to remove a breast tumour and a small amount of healthy tissue around it - and who needs to have mammogram before her annual check, told the Shropshire Star she had contacted Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital and had been informed she would have to wait five months.

“I was asked if I could go to Shrewsbury for this and I have agreed, but how did the Princess Royal build up a five-month waiting list?” she asked.

A spokesman for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust said today it was aware there was a problem over follow-up waiting times and action was being taken to address this.

The trust was looking at ways of increasing capacity to reduce the backlog and training was being undertaken within the radiology department so that more follow-up work could be undertaken.

He said the number of follow-up appointments was “much higher” than national rates and the reasons for this were also being investigated.

In addition, the trust is looking at whether it is more suitable for some patients to be put back on the routine three-yearly breast screening system rather than have follow-up consultations.

But he added: “We are meeting national targets for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and that is great news for patients.”

Recent reports presented to both the hospital board and that of Shropshire County Primary Care Trust, showed all three main cancer targets were being met or exceeded at Shrewsbury and Telford, with 100 per cent of patients waiting no more than two weeks from urgent GP referral to a first outpatient appointment.

Also, 100 per cent seen within the maximum waiting time of 31 days from diagnosis to treatment, and 97 per cent within the maximum waiting time of 62 days from urgent referral to treatment.