Treatment of Sarcoma privately in the UK

'Going private' is a common route to avoiding the delays which can happen in the NHS. Some people also like the fact that the doctors usually spend more time with their patients and the clinics are less crowded and more personal.

Sadly we hear too many examples of private medicine letting down sarcoma patients. Diagnosing a strange lump seems simple, and in most cases it is. However a malignant lump (about 1 in 200 of all lumps) can be very hard to diagnose without a biopsy (taking a sample and studying it in the laboratory) and a scan (using CT, MRI or Ultra-Sound). Failing to suspect that a lump should be biopsied is too common - though less common than it was at one time - especially if additional fees can be earned by undertaking surgery.

Most doctors to which a GP would refer a patient privately will not be sarcoma specialists. Sarcoma is rarely suspected by GPs so even if they are aware of a sarcoma specialist in their local area the patient may not be referred to an expert. Where sarcoma is specifically suspected matters will be better and an accurate diagnosis is likely to be made much more quickly, with an expert involved.

Cancer care in the NHS is managed through Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) of doctors, nurses and other professionals. Private practice invariably relies on single doctors making all the decisions. In many illnesses this is adequate but with sarcoma it leaves potential gaps to the disadvantage of the patient. There is ample evidence from research studies around the world that care by an MDT improves patient outcomes.

Once a sarcoma has been diagnosed our recommendation is that patients initially treated privately should consider transferring into the NHS and into the care of a specialist sarcoma MDT. They would continue to be seen by their first doctor, if he/she is a sarcoma specialist, but they would have the benefit of added review of their progress by experts from all the relevant disciplines. Having the private cover available should there be delays in having scans, or receiving radiotherapy, is a big asset and using paid access to resources when there is a need is a perfectly justifiable approach. After all, it releases pressure on the NHS so other patients benefit from those resources.