Cancer Diagnosis – Your Right to a Second Opinion

In the UK, patients do not have the universal legal right to a second medical opinion. This can mean that some people who suspect they have cancer incorrectly assume that they shouldn’t ask for a second opinion. Indeed, patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer can also misinterpret their legal rights and think that they are not allowed to question their current treatment. This article will help you understand the situation with a cancer and your right to a secon opinion.

Although mistakes with cancer diagnosis are rare, they do happen. Therefore, it is essential that any patient – whether they’ve suffered from cancer in the past, are undergoing treatment or think they might have cancer – knows exactly what their rights are.

Right to a Second Opinion for Private Paients

To be clear, private patients will usually have to pay if they want a second opinion for any medical matter. Essentially, seeking a second opinion means obtaining a second service from another doctor, and a fee for that service will ensue.

In some cases, however, larger private practices may allow a senior practitioner to oversee your doctor’s assessment without charging you. Furthermore, some private insurance policies will pay for any second opinion request that is deemed to be reasonable.

The NHS: Cancer and Your Rights to Second Opinion 

Most patients with suspected cancer in the UK are seen by specialists working in the NHS. Given that you don’t have the legal right to a second opinion, this doesn’t mean you have to accept the first medical opinion or diagnosis you receive.

Clinical guidelines in the NHS mean that doctors must ‘respect your right’ to a second opinion. It boils down to the fact that if you think you would benefit from a second opinion, you should ask for one.

In other words, cancer patients should feel free to pay for a private opinion or ask their cancer specialist to refer them to another NHS doctor who can assess their case independently. In many cases, doctors will accede to such requests.

Health professionals are not supposed to take it personally that their judgement is being questioned. Of course, you won’t necessarily be given a new referral – unless you pay for a private consultation – but, in many cases, doctors will make the necessary arrangements on your behalf.

Among the reasons that justify a second opinion are that you might want to seek out alternative treatment options or that you find talking to your current doctor difficult for some reason. It is also within the guidelines to seek a second opinion for cancer if you don’t agree with your doctor’s assessment of you or because you would like your diagnosis to be confirmed.

It is worth bearing in mind, however, that with a serious condition such as cancer, seeking a second opinion to confirm your diagnosis could lead to a delay in being treated. It can also be distressing to be told you need treatment for cancer a second time.

That said, in cases where you think you may have cancer but your doctor is saying otherwise, there is little harm in at least asking for a second professional opinion so that their findings can be confirmed.

Many people request second opinions. Although they seldom differ, they can lead to signs of cancer being spotted and, consequently, increased chances of better outcomes down the line.

Coping with a cancer diagnosis can be challenging regardless of whether or not you have had a second opinion, so do ensure you understand the support available and ways which help you and your loved ones cope.