Treatment hospital

[Sibova]

I am traveling over 600 miles once a month for scans and tests. Curious if anyone switched hospitals midway through treatment - is this a good or bad idea? I am at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore - one of the best in the country - nervous about leaving but the travel is tough- I could look for some thing in Boston- but really trust the Drs at Johns Hopkins - what would you do? Are their risks of switching hospitals?

[Lily-Anne]

I'd like to know the answer to this too. I can't cope with any more disasters at my hospital and am looking to go to the GP on Monday for some foot stamping. My cousin works in a big hospital and she told me to go for it and she who shouts loudest gets treated best, so am about to try.

Concerns, will it add to the delays I've already had, will I like the team, will I trust the team

Positives, less cost cutting, good cancer reputation, not too far away

What are you biggest concerns?

LA

[Julie40]

I travel from Belfast to Manchester to my clinic. It's a 45 minute flight. I would not be here if I had not made the move. It can be challenging and costly but I know I am getting expertise and the access to drugs I would not get in Northern Ireland.

It is a bit easier now that my treatment is every 4 weeks but I travelled weekly for the best part of 6 months. Moving hospitals gave me faith in my oncologist and hope - that alone is worth the travel. Hope this helps xo

[Hidden]

Hi Sibova,

Do you realise this is a UK based site?

Distance is relative and we can all get frustrated with it, but the USA is a bigger country than the UK!

I suggest you ask the question on the Inspire forum. I'm sure you'll get helpful answers there.

[Whippit]

Hi Sibova

I also switched hospitals from Wales to England because there are bigger centres there and I have a different range of options including easy access to clinical trials and new treatments, drugs, support drugs, surgical options and modern diagnostics. I don't doubt I would still be alive if I'd continued in Wales but I may not have been in such good health by now.

I only travel 150 miles and it takes me about 3 1/2 hours door to door but as I'm still relatively fit I enjoy my visits to London. If you're well enough to do it, and you're interested in clinical trials I think it's well worth getting to a larger centre. I also benefit from attending a centre where I can trust the advice I get is based on what is best for me and not what the hospital has the funds to provide.

I have an incurable disease so the time will come when I probably won't have the energy or wellbeing to travel. I think it's unlikely I'd attempt to continue trips to London when treatment options run out even though the centre in London has Phase 1 clinical trials for patients which can have give us additional time. I'll have to sort that out when I get there.

I hope the travel to a larger centre is working out for you. How do you travel? How long does it take?

I think everyone is worried about the inequality of provision across the UK from our state NHS. I'd imagine it's different in a country where you have more private health care.

Annie