Now I know why the cancer survival rate is better elsewhere in Europe

I am beginning to understand why the cancer survival rate is better in European countries other than Britain. Here is my story.

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in November 2000 and treated at the Royal Free hospital in Hampstead, north London.

Earlier this year - in February - I was told that the Royal Free would not be treating ovarian cancer patients any more. I, and my consultant, were transferred to the gynaecological cancer centre at the Middlesex hospital in central London.

I was very sorry to leave the Royal Free where I had good relationships with the caring and dedicated doctors and nurses and where I felt secure.

However, my consultant was now at the Middlesex, where I saw him by appointment fairly quickly and was introduced to a clinical nurse specialist who is helpful and caring.

Before my next appointment, set for May 14, my consultant wanted me to have a CT scan because my latest blood tests had been iffy. The scan department at the Middlesex, however, gave me an appointment for June 19.

I rang them to explain that the consultant would need to see the scan on May 14, but a bolshie woman said the scan date could not be changed to an earlier one. I rang my consultant's secretary, and a senior registrar tried to sort this out. For a period of three weeks there was no joy. Then those involved said they would try to arrange for me to have the scan not at the Middlesex but back at the Royal Free.

Both I and the consultant know that such delays can result in a small tumor growing fast, and we know the consequence of that.

I question the wisdom of closing the gynaecological cancer unit at the Royal Free and other north London hospitals, and transferring us all to the Middlesex when clearly the Middlesex cannot cope.

The Royal Free and the other hospitals have also lost an important expertise and the patients are inconvenienced, having to travel into central London - where there is nowhere to park the cars needed to transport them - for chemotherapy and other treatments.

More evidence of the curious state of the system was to follow . . .

I did in the end secure a CT scan at the Royal Free prior to my appointment with the consultant at the Middlesex on May 14. When I arrived at my May 14 appointment, I saw the senior registrar who started by saying: "As we could not get you an early scan . . ." I told her that I did have a scan at the Royal Free and she dashed out to look for it.

The pictures were quickly found. She went to show them to the consultant, and came back to tell me that a small tumour had appeared on my groin. The consultant and a doctor from radiotherapy came in, felt the tumour and said that I would have to start radiotherapy within two to three weeks.

The radiotherapy doctor said that she would ring me the following week to arrange treatment. When she did, she told me to come on June 6 for planning, and that the treatment proper would start on June 10.

When I asked what time I should come to the Middlesex on June 6, she said that the planning department would let me know. They did not, so I rang on June 5, to be told that according to the computer my appointment was to be on June 13 with treatment due to start on June 20.

I mentioned my conversation with the doctor, and the earlier dates given by her. I was told that my scan pictures had disappeared, and that they were trying to get duplicates from the Royal Free, which should have arrived by June 13.

I was also told that the treatment could not start before June 20 because the relevant Middlesex department was fully booked until that time. That's how things stand at the moment, and that is why I feel I now understand why the cancer survival rate is better in other European countries.