"Lack of aftercare"

I recently had a mastectomy.  Up until the operation  the care was of a good standard however the aftercare has been absolutely horrendous and this incident is just the icing on the cake.

I went to the community nurse for a wound check and I explained I'd had a bad cold and had been sneezing and coughing and that the day before my dressings had become soaked with a possible seroma leak and that my wound continued to leak. The nurse assessed wound and noted it had widened since my last check and that I should get my GP to look at it or contact the oncology navigators.

I explained to the nurse that it was impossible to speak to any of them and all I could do was leave a message and they say they'll get back to you within 48hrs. The community nurse went above and beyond to ask my GP  to do referral electronically but was told that they wouldn't do that and that the nurse could contact them theirself or I could.

I was crying by now as I feel I have had little or no support from oncology and the system they have in place for me to contact them is not fit for purpose.  After half an hour, the nurse got back to tell me they had no luck contacting them either even after paging someone.  We agreed we would both keep trying.

This follows on from:

Being discharged with no dressings

Being told a district nurse would phone and come round to the house in 3 days' time

Community nurse not receiving referral

When I contacted Community nursing myself with concerns about wound was told if I wanted seen that day would need to phone round 4 different practices to see if they had any spaces. They didn't.

Phoned breast nurse left message

Results appt cancelled following week as results weren't back.

Results appt and seen my charge nurse who I do feel actually listened to me.

Following week had appt with Community nurse for wound check and dressing.

Wound leaking significantly which takes us to where I am now.

I'm a strong and resilient woman and have coped with the emotional side of being diagnosed with breast cancer, but the lack of aftercare has been diabolical and nearly broken me as I have had to navigate a system to receive any kind of care from the Oncology Navigators.

The icing on the cake was when a doctor refused to see me to save me any further emotional burden. I received one pre-arranged appointment for my results which was cancelled and rescheduled.  Any other appointments I have had to fight tooth and nail to get myself whilst dealing with having major surgery and a cancer diagnosis.

Not good enough.