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Why the long wait for NHS results?

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User
Posted 10 Mar 2026 at 11:56

I have recently figured out that the wait time for prostate cancer-related results from my NHS trust is not so much the pathology stage, it's the consultant getting round to telling me what was found.

In the last six months I've had an MRI, biopsy, and bone scan. In each case the consultant has sat on the results for 28 days or more. In other words, the results were discussed and agreed by date N, but not conveyed to me until N+28. For example, they had the results of my Feb 20 on Feb 24, but won't tell me until March 25.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

I was Gleason 7 (4+3) as of my December 18 biopsy. My effort to come to terms with that is not being helped by the anxiety of the wait and the knowledge that, for whatever reason, I am being made to wait.

Don't want to sound like a whiner, or court political controversy, but my anger at waiting is compounded by the fact that the exact same doctors would tell me right away if I paid them.

S.

User
Posted 10 Mar 2026 at 12:26

It’s the same for my husband.

 

We were told it’s simply the workload, so many patients not enough doctors.

 

hospitals in our trust inadequate and needing improvement, staff doing their best just overworked. 

without turning this political there’s clearly reasons why we are in this horrible situation of constant waiting. 

User
Posted 10 Mar 2026 at 12:28
Hi StephenC,

I can't say for certain, but it does seem that good or non-negative news gets delayed. I had a PET CT scan prior to my prostatectomy and had to literally go to the Urology department at my local hospital to demand the results. Even then, I had to go back home and wait for a phone call that eventually happened a few hours later. The news was they had found no evidence of spread. If you are still waiting for any results then I so hope that is the case for you.

It is an unfortunate part of PC that tests and results are a long term part of the recovery and they can dictate our lives! I know it is very difficult and I don't achieve it all the time, but I try to ignore them and keep myself busy with enjoying my life. PC reminds us that life is precious and enjoying it as much as we can is the trick to a happy life. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful life that ignoring these deadlines is a lot easier. I so hope you have the same wonderful life and please try to focus on that and not these deadlines. Like I said, I don't always live up to this standard, but I am doing my best.

Hows that for not getting into the politics and please remember you are not whining! This forum is for getting help and I just hope the above has done some of that.

User
Posted 12 Mar 2026 at 07:52

Antoinette,

I very much agree that staffing levels have nothing at all to do with the shockingly poor communication we see in our NHS. 

I used to be a police officer, we regularly put out a group with far too few officers to cover our area. But I never went to a house and told a victim of crime that I was too busy to listen to them, or did a death warning by telephone etc.

I dont know why things have gotten so bad in the NHS, other than the administration and management functions taking over the clinical treatment of patients.  And the jaw dropping lack of empathy and insight from staff and consultants.

Both I and my older brother are going through the prostate mill. I was tested and came back with no cancer found. My brother has stage 4 aggressive cancer. Both of us have been subject to delays in being given important information or results.  I was told by a secretary that they were too busy dealing with people who really did have cancer to speak to someone who didn't. My brother suffered the same poor communication,  failure to send referrals, and long waits at the hands of admin staff. He found out more about his cancer from mcmillan nurses than from his consultant. 

Its the same across the board for many serious conditions. Poor administration staff running the show, managed by people who value shiny buildings over patient care. 

They pour money into the NHS and it's wasted. But I saw the same things happening in policing, the fire service, ambulance....etc etc. 

Sorry, that was a rant, but the NHS portrays itself as a caring institution and I've had very little direct experience to support that. 

User
Posted 16 Mar 2026 at 18:36
I think there is a difference with shortage of staff and miscommunication. If information is passed on incomplete, or even misinformation, it generates more calls and more staff time.

My husband is trying to sort his BP medication out. He takes it himself and then gets a call from the pharmacist. 4 times this has not happened. 3 times he rang to ask what was happening and pharmacist rang soon after. 4 time he didn't bother and was rang the next day , when we on the top of a bus in Oxford. Pharmacist said he ring next day, he didn't. Whole thing has generated a load of wasted time on both sides

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User
Posted 10 Mar 2026 at 12:26

It’s the same for my husband.

 

We were told it’s simply the workload, so many patients not enough doctors.

 

hospitals in our trust inadequate and needing improvement, staff doing their best just overworked. 

without turning this political there’s clearly reasons why we are in this horrible situation of constant waiting. 

User
Posted 10 Mar 2026 at 12:28
Hi StephenC,

I can't say for certain, but it does seem that good or non-negative news gets delayed. I had a PET CT scan prior to my prostatectomy and had to literally go to the Urology department at my local hospital to demand the results. Even then, I had to go back home and wait for a phone call that eventually happened a few hours later. The news was they had found no evidence of spread. If you are still waiting for any results then I so hope that is the case for you.

It is an unfortunate part of PC that tests and results are a long term part of the recovery and they can dictate our lives! I know it is very difficult and I don't achieve it all the time, but I try to ignore them and keep myself busy with enjoying my life. PC reminds us that life is precious and enjoying it as much as we can is the trick to a happy life. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful life that ignoring these deadlines is a lot easier. I so hope you have the same wonderful life and please try to focus on that and not these deadlines. Like I said, I don't always live up to this standard, but I am doing my best.

Hows that for not getting into the politics and please remember you are not whining! This forum is for getting help and I just hope the above has done some of that.

User
Posted 10 Mar 2026 at 17:11

Hi Stephen

It's very frustrating.  I'm not totally convinced it's a shortage of staff. I think it's extremely poor communication channels and models. My husband had a biopsy, followed by PSMA pet scan and was told the results would be 3 weeks or so. On the 4th week he rang up to chase the results. A nurse told him to ring back the next day. He did so and another nurse simply looked him up and read the results off the screen. Fortunately there was no spread into his bones or other organs. However if there had been, I don't think this is a good way to be told.

One thing the NHS is very poor at is reassurance, in my opinion,  and most times at optimism. In fact sometimes I think the rule is be as pessimistic as possible, then we'll look really good when it turns out better

User
Posted 11 Mar 2026 at 21:27

I think part of the problem is the NHS rule which says that notifying results to the patient requires a separate appointment to be made for that sole purpose.  Booking an appointment on the NHS system takes time and effort, whether it’s an appointment for actual treatment, or for a consultation,  or just for notifying somebody of something.  
Unofficially, staff will sometimes reveal results to a patient who rings up, but by no means always, as they’re not really supposed to do it. 

User
Posted 12 Mar 2026 at 07:52

Antoinette,

I very much agree that staffing levels have nothing at all to do with the shockingly poor communication we see in our NHS. 

I used to be a police officer, we regularly put out a group with far too few officers to cover our area. But I never went to a house and told a victim of crime that I was too busy to listen to them, or did a death warning by telephone etc.

I dont know why things have gotten so bad in the NHS, other than the administration and management functions taking over the clinical treatment of patients.  And the jaw dropping lack of empathy and insight from staff and consultants.

Both I and my older brother are going through the prostate mill. I was tested and came back with no cancer found. My brother has stage 4 aggressive cancer. Both of us have been subject to delays in being given important information or results.  I was told by a secretary that they were too busy dealing with people who really did have cancer to speak to someone who didn't. My brother suffered the same poor communication,  failure to send referrals, and long waits at the hands of admin staff. He found out more about his cancer from mcmillan nurses than from his consultant. 

Its the same across the board for many serious conditions. Poor administration staff running the show, managed by people who value shiny buildings over patient care. 

They pour money into the NHS and it's wasted. But I saw the same things happening in policing, the fire service, ambulance....etc etc. 

Sorry, that was a rant, but the NHS portrays itself as a caring institution and I've had very little direct experience to support that. 

User
Posted 12 Mar 2026 at 10:59
I so agree 100%. They make make more work for themselves by just relying on forms and protocols blah blah blah.

The staff in admin are not trained in medical issues at all. I personally know some and I'm not surprised at the weird Chinese whisperer syndrome.

Jaw dropping lack of empathy, I heartily agree with.

I also think there is a lot of patronising too.

I was shocked at the CSN we first saw. Quite frankly I never want to see her again.

She pushed printouts from the Prostate Cancer uk at us, and practically laughed when I said how concerned about our sex life I was. It was appalling. I came out feeling devastated.

Next time I may have their recommendations for health workers on what to offer men on HT, and offer to her saying, " I don't think you've seen this"

When my husband rings up to ask a query, you leave a message and someone gets back to you later. It's not yet been 'his nurse' and not once has anyone said "How are you? How are you finding the side effects? "

Actually he's very well and due to our strong bond, which is even stronger if that's possible, and Viagra from his lady GP, things are about 90% of what they were which we think is marvellous.

User
Posted 15 Mar 2026 at 21:08

This was my experience when going through diagnosis in 2024.

It took 4 weeks from PSA test (5.5) and referral to MRI scan, then 6 weeks from MRI to biopsy, then 6 weeks just to tell me the biopsy results. It was so long, I was convinced the results must be negative, but no, it was prostate cancer.

So that's 4 months from PSA test to diagnosis. So much for 28 days from referral to cancer being diagnosed or ruled out!

User
Posted 16 Mar 2026 at 18:14

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Antoinette,

I very much agree that staffing levels have nothing at all to do with the shockingly poor communication we see in our NHS. 

I used to be a police officer, we regularly put out a group with far too few officers to cover our area. But I never went to a house and told a victim of crime that I was too busy to listen to them, or did a death warning by telephone etc.

 

 

we were told by the secretary and dr there’s not enough staff and that Doctors working long days just trying to keep on top of things and prioritising patients who need further treatment  ( rightly so but doesn’t help when you’re waiting and not sure if the results been looked at). 

re police absolutely agree about being short on shift, but, it’s a fact that police often don’t turn out for some offences when they’re prioritising DV and such where there’s risk of harm. It can be weeks before you might hear for a car theft or criminal damage. Same reason police lost  3000 officers and have to prioritise. 

agree the NHS communication is poor, often administrative functions seem to leave a lot to be desired. 

User
Posted 16 Mar 2026 at 18:36
I think there is a difference with shortage of staff and miscommunication. If information is passed on incomplete, or even misinformation, it generates more calls and more staff time.

My husband is trying to sort his BP medication out. He takes it himself and then gets a call from the pharmacist. 4 times this has not happened. 3 times he rang to ask what was happening and pharmacist rang soon after. 4 time he didn't bother and was rang the next day , when we on the top of a bus in Oxford. Pharmacist said he ring next day, he didn't. Whole thing has generated a load of wasted time on both sides

User
Posted 17 Mar 2026 at 15:18

@McLarenFan71

 

It may depend on just where you live?

Your experience must have been worrying for you..

 

I was lucky - a week to 10 days between everything stage  : Blood test/Anal exploration/MRI/Biopsy/Results

Edited by member 17 Mar 2026 at 15:21  | Reason: Not specified

 
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