A Wolverhampton woman says she is terrified the wait to have a lump in her breast examined at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital could have terrible consequences.

Helen Tolley, aged 33, of Wednesfield, first saw her doctor almost a month ago and on Tuesday was told she would have to wait a further six weeks for an appointment.

She lived at Chasetown at the start of the year when a lump was found in her other breast. Manor Hospital in Walsall carried out two biopsies, a scan and diagnosis within 16 days of her doctor’s referral.

Miss Tolley said: “On January 2, my doctor diagnosed a lump in my breast and contacted Manor Hospital in Walsall for an appointment.

“I was seen at the hospital on January 9, when I had a biopsy and scan and was seen again on January 11, when I was given another biopsy.

“My results came through on January 18, fortunately with nothing sinister.

“But now I come under Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust rather than Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust the situation is completely different.

“I visited the doctor on May 11 after finding the new lump. It took almost four weeks to get an appointment a further six weeks down the line. I am told New Cross Hospital cannot see me until July 20. I thought they had made a mistake. It seems ridiculous.”

“If this lump turns out to be cancerous, the delay in treatment could have terrible consequences. It’s a prime example of a postcode lottery.”

Miss Tolley said she cannot understand why there should be such a radical difference in waiting times between the two health authority areas.

She added: “It seems so unfair that if you live a few miles down the road, it could potentially mean the difference between life and death.

“Because my last lump was benign, I am a little less worried than I might have been, but at the same time, you never know until the test results come back.”

No-one from Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHSTrust was available for comment today.

By Nick Pritchard