Hi Viv, this is very difficult. Im not in Melbourne but can tell you a few things that worked for me.....eventually.
I have been a public patient from the start of my BC surgeries and make it clear right up front with my GP, then my BS then the PS because the private cost is simply not an option for me. But having reconstruction was definately what I wanted/needed. Even if you have private health insurance you can still be treated publically.
I had my initial discussion about reconstruction with my BS who referred me to local PS who worked both private and public. Then when I reaslised the surgeries they recommended or specialised in was not my preferred method, I sought out to find if the tissue transfer was available publically.
I eventually came accross public hospitals that specialised in breast cancer surgery, looked up their surgeons and made some phone calls. I asked about the procedures that the surgeon performed then if it was available publically and in what hospital (they sometimes work in several both public and private).
I also found names mentioned on BCNA and other random internet searches, and looked the surgeon up on the 'find a surgeon' (I recently made this post in the BR group) site which sometimes tells you which hospitals they work in. By then I had an idea of which hospitals were public and private. When I found a surgeon I also looked at their private office or website that can give you an idea of what they might be like.......some are very crystal and chandeliers and that really put me off.
Then, when I found the surgeon, I asked my GP or BS to write me a referral to them. Then I saw the consultant PS and surgery was passed onto their colleague who was the consultant for that public hospital, now I only see the second consultant in his private rooms as a public patient, all surgeries are public. A very decent man.
So they say you cant choose in a public hospital, but I feel like i sort of did as I was proactive in tracking down what I wanted. And if you are still with me....yes it was very difficult and emotional, at the time I was undergoing chemo and had to have it sorted out because it had to be done within 3 months of finishing chemo.
You could try a few things
- maybe contact your BS and ask the questions, 'i want to go public, who do you recommend', they all know who does what. Sometimes we just need to know what to ask.
- post the question on the blog to see who else is in melbourne and has gone public, I think there are a few
- try to target public hospitals and find out who their PS's are and call them and say you are public patient and what can they offer eg Vincents Hospital Melbourne http://www.svhm.org.au/gp/clinics/Pages/Plasticsurgery.aspx
- some private surgeons will do private and not charge a gap for BC women, so you could ask all that upfront or over the phone (appointments are costly and waiting times can be months)
Does any of this help???? What is also difficult is that you get so many roadblocks that you just want to give up....but dont....because it is worth it in the end. Stay strong...
XXXLouie
