Patient had seven-month wait for an appointment
AFTER being diagnosed with cancerous cells in her cervix, Jess Simon had to wait seven months before a follow-up treatment appointment was made.
‘I was told I had high grade cellular changes and positive HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer,’ she said.
‘[Doctors] made it sound quite urgent to get me booked in for treatment – they even said I would be sent to Southampton for treatment – but I called every week for months trying to find out what was happening and I got different stories each time.’
Although she had been told in December the necessary machine was broken, which was causing the delay, she had heard of other women still getting their treatment.
Other members of the Medical Specialist Group and Health & Social Care told her the machine was broken, or on loan, or in the UK, or the issue had been passed to the complaints department.
‘I just said I didn’t care whose fault it was or whose responsibility the machine is, I have cancerous cells in my cervix and I just want them gone,’ she told the Guernsey Press.
Although she considers herself a strong woman who is not afraid to speak up, the lack of communication from medical services and lack of support made her condition a constant worry.
The 32-year-old was concerned how other women with mental health issues were coping.
‘I’m quite confident and wasn’t afraid to pester HSC for information, but psychological wellbeing should be as important as physical wellbeing and we were just not being given the information and support we needed.
‘At no point did I know what was going on and it was not until I posted on social media that I got a phone call to say a theatre appointment had been booked for me.’
Miss Simon’s post on Facebook received over 140 comments, many of which were other women in the island posting about their own similar experiences.
Deputy Rhian Tooley responded to the comments saying the issue was raised at a HSC committee meeting by herself and Heidi Souldby following Miss Simon’s post.
‘In brief: there was an issue with out of order equipment, a replacement has been supplied by the manufacturer and everything should be back on track very soon,’ she said, adding that staff at HSC had the solution up and running that day [21 March].
In a statement to the Guernsey Press, Deputy Tooley said she was pleased to see the take-up of cervical smear testing since HSC took the decision to provide the service free of charge.
‘There is no issue with capacity to deal with the increase in the number of women choosing to be screened and I would encourage women to get in touch with the Orchard Centre to book an appointment for a smear test,’ she said.
‘Women may also attend their GP or Choices if they so wish, and the test will also be provided free of charge to them at those providers.
‘The issue relating to the breakdown of the diagnostic equipment which we need to process abnormal smears on island has been resolved through the installation of replacement kit.’
Miss Simon said it was amazing smear tests are being pushed and are free because they are so important. She also said the gynaecologist had worked well to make her comfortable during an unpleasant screening and is booked in for treatment on Wednesday [17th].
