I thought the NHS was started for everyone. If it’s a lottery then we have picked the losing ticket - Cancer patient Ann Gibson
A woman whose cancer treatment has been delayed because of the Covid-19 crisis says she “bought the wrong ticket in the health lottery”.
Ann Gibson has bowel cancer but it has been untreated for months.
The 62-year-old had been in hospital for an unrelated condition and returned home in May to find a bowel screening test behind her door.
The screening programme had been halted several weeks before due to the pandemic.
Ann, of Dumbarton, said: “I got a letter back at the start of July saying I had a positive result.
“They said because of Covid I would have to wait for an appointment. But they said I shouldn’t be too anxious because there was only a slight chance it could be cancer.”
Ann was finally seen on September 30.
She said: “The consultant came over and said, ‘I am sorry, it is a lot for you to take in but you have bowel cancer’. He told me I had two tumours. Urgent scans and biopsies were taken and sent off.”
Ann should have had the results within 10 days but she only finally managed to speak to her consultant on Tuesday and was told she needed an operation to her upper colon.
“She will have part of her bowel removed on November 13 – almost five months after she was suspected of having cancer. Ann added: “I still don’t know what stage my cancer is at and if it would’ve been at a lower stage if I had tests and treatment earlier.
“I have written to the First Minister. Who gives her the right to say who gets treatment and who doesn’t?
“I accept dealing with Covid is a serious issue but I was under the impression the NHS was started for everyone in Great Britain.
“If it’s a lottery then cancer patients have picked the losing ticket. I’m not just highlighting the unfairness of it all for me. Other people are going through the exact same thing.”
From April to June there was a 22 per cent dip in cancer patient referrals but only 84.1 per cent of them began treatment within the 62-day-target – far below the 95 per cent standard.
Scottish Labour’s deputy leader and Ann’s MSP, Jackie Baillie, said:
“It is essential that the Scottish Government remobilises the NHS but it is especially important to get cancer services up and running again.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “To support surgery, the Cabinet Secretary announced on June 4 the Framework for Recovery of Cancer Surgery to assist NHS Scotland prioritise those most in need of cancer treatment.
“On Wednesday, we published a Winter Preparedness Plan for NHS Scotland which makes clear our expectation that cancer treatment is prioritised. We’ll shortly be publishing a National Cancer Recovery Plan.”