| The NHS boasts it is "best in the world". So why do | | | | off with "it's your age" and demanded to know |
| we have one of the worst post cancer survival rates | | | | "why?" |
| in Europe? | | | | Eventually it became obvious that the NHS is |
| Possibly this is partly our fault. Most people diagnosed | | | | overstretched; it concentrates on primary treatment, |
| with cancer in Britain meekly accept what doctors | | | | leaving cancer charities to pick up the aftermath. |
| offer; they feel it is wrong to challenge a diagnosis, | | | | So, why not take advantage of a short break holiday |
| and as one doctor told me "patients should ask for a | | | | and go to Europe? In most EU countries patients live |
| second opinion". | | | | longer post cancer, and I suspect this is because their |
| My favourite medic told a conference at the Royal | | | | doctors don't dismiss side effects from hormonal |
| Marsden, Britain's flagship cancer treatment centre, | | | | drugs, but help patients throughout the five years |
| "doctors don't know how to talk to patients": loud | | | | they take them. I had a lovely time learning about |
| cheers from patients in the audience, whilst medics | | | | good post cancer treatment. Who could complain |
| sat stony-faced. Revd. David Brown was Chaplain at | | | | joining German cancer patients having free massages, |
| the hospital for 21 years, and said doctors would | | | | or French women getting skincare advice with lovely |
| come to him and say "David, I don't know how to | | | | clinically-tested products proven to do cancer-skins |
| talk to patients". | | | | good?! |
| So it is up to patients to talk WITH their doctors. | | | | Currently the UK ranks between 17th and 25th for |
| Don't worry about being a nuisance, as privately | | | | life expectancy post cancer (depending if it is NHS or |
| oncologists admit patients that "kick up a fuss" | | | | World Health Organisation survey), I asked the Dept |
| generally recover better. We need to get over NHS | | | | of Health if the NHS were sending people to Europe |
| arrogance, and copy what is offered to patients in | | | | to see what we could copy. Their arrogant reply "we |
| Europe. As a patient, I became incensed when | | | | have no plans" beggars belief. |
| doctors in Britain dismissed blindness in one eye, | | | | Pound for pound, euro for euro, French cancer |
| caused by one of the drugs I was on, with "I have | | | | treatment is probably the best in world. Overall their |
| never seen this before". It was a French professor | | | | health service (state and health insurance top ups |
| who said this was a rare but well-documented side | | | | together) costs roughly the same as our NHS. But |
| effect of the drug I had been put on, Tamoxifen. | | | | when private insurance companies are involved, they |
| I saw what help I could get in Europe, mostly | | | | demand accountability. No insurance company would |
| common sense, but denied to patients in Britain | | | | allow hospitals get away with the expensive |
| because doctors just won't look abroad and copy | | | | administration we have in the NHS. The Sunday |
| procedures and treatments. If we find information on | | | | Telegraph wrote recently that in the past ten years |
| the Internet that will help us, we don't have to | | | | "NHS administrator numbers increased 64%, as |
| meekly accept arrogant decisions and advice from | | | | against 43% for doctors and 25% for nurses", yet |
| our medics. We should demand treatment and | | | | "productivity has fallen by 10%". |
| products European cancer patients receive - so | | | | With administrators on £150,000+ salaries we |
| hopefully we all survive longer. | | | | still have the worst MRSA figures in Europe. So |
| For most patientss, everything goes relatively well. | | | | instead of giving us similar treatment to Europeans, |
| Yes, you are going to get tired for no apparent | | | | the NHS is paying for the extra administrators, and, |
| reason. Yes, you get nauseous and have problems | | | | as cancer guru Prof. Karol Sikora says, "the depth of |
| with chemo, but as time goes on these are much | | | | pile in their carpets". |
| better handled. You get used to talking to medics, | | | | But there is no reason why we can't copy some of |
| and find whilst you arebeing treated in hospital your | | | | the European treatments, and have fun after cancer. |
| problems get sorted. Complicatons come when you | | | | These aren't 'airy fairy' treatments or 'miracle foods', |
| are given a hormonal drug such as Tamoxifen, and | | | | but clinically approved products, some of which we |
| told you don't have to come back for three months. | | | | can obtain on NHS, but doctors don't have time to |
| 5% of patients won't get any side effects, and sail | | | | tell us, and things such as massage that Macmillan |
| through the next five years. The other 95% do, and | | | | surveys have proven to be very helpful. But before |
| these can include temporary blindness and peeling, | | | | trying anything, tell your doctor or oncology nurse - |
| bloody and painful skin eruptions. These made me the | | | | there might be contra-indications. |
| patient from hell. I didn't believe attempts to fob me | | | | And HAVE FUN! |