Two-week cancer guarantee could be scrapped (UK)

telegraph ^ | 7/14/10 | James Kirkup,

[Nachum]

A guarantee that all NHS patients thought to have cancer can see a specialist within two weeks could be abandoned, David Cameron has signalled.

The Prime Minister indicated that the two-week goal might eventually be dropped if doctors and health officials think it is not improving cancer care.

The disclosure came after a Commons attack on the Coalition’s health policy that left ministers facing charges of being confused and sending mixed messages on the guarantee.

Under Labour, the NHS offered a “guarantee” that anyone referred by a GP for cancer treatment will be seen within two weeks.

While Labour was frequently criticised for creating many unnecessary health-care targets, advocates of the two-week guarantee say it is a helpful means to limit the anxiety felt by patients whose GPs suspect they have cancer.

[freekitty]

These people are plain nuts.

[freekitty]

How could some of these world leaders (I say that lightly) bring children into the world knowing how stupid the parents are?

[BuckyKat]

There are ways around the 2-week bit as it is. There was a shortage of docs at Ft. Hood when we were stationed there, particularly radiologists. They had a 2-week or 3-week, I forget which, limit for booking a “diagnostic” mammogram, 2 or 3 weeks after that to book an ultrasound when the mammo was suspicious, 2-3 weeks after that to look at the ultrasound and call regarding scheduling a needle biopsy, 2-3 weeks after the call to schedule it, 2-3 weeks to get the results, then a referral to surgery (at which point we pulled a few strings and got in earlier). Fortunately it ended up being benign but the whole process was closer to 4 months.

[Cyber Ninja]

We don’t need (to pay for) no stinking doctors, etc...

[Jack Hydrazine]

Just go home and die!

[VanShuyten]

Yes, If you can walk in there without blood coming from any orifice, we will put you on the list. If not, God bless you.

[The Good Doctor]

There are ways around the 2-week bit as it is. There was a shortage of docs at Ft. Hood when we were stationed there, particularly radiologists. They had a 2-week or 3-week, I forget which, limit for booking a “diagnostic” mammogram, 2 or 3 weeks after that to book an ultrasound when the mammo was suspicious, 2-3 weeks after that to look at the ultrasound and call regarding scheduling a needle biopsy, 2-3 weeks after the call to schedule it, 2-3 weeks to get the results, then a referral to surgery (at which point we pulled a few strings and got in earlier). Fortunately it ended up being benign but the whole process was closer to 4 months.'

That's Government medicine. In my practice this workup would have taken about 48 hours.

[BuckyKat]

The military system works well when they’re well staffed (which thus far we’ve discovered really only occurs at BAMC and TAMC - i.e. places with residents in multiple specialties). The problem with teaching hospitals of course is you never want to get sick the first of July ;-).