The Zohan

Doctor has referred me to Northampton General Hospital's Cardiology Department, she wrote them a letter and i called up today to book it in - first available space is 27th April 2009 some 2+ months or so away.

9 weeks!!! FFS, Is there a government target for this????

Fat Boy

Spend £200 and go and see a private consultant first if you want to put your mind at rest. Get the treatment on the NHS but it might help you stop worrying?

Often the private consultant is also an NHS consultant and has ways and means of you jumping the queue onto his NHS list...

Dedrater

If you are in pain, then I would certainly pay for a private consultation.

Leslie

Sorry to hear its so long to wait Paul. The only positive thing I can offer is that she can't think it is anything of a threat or you would have been there already by now.

Les

Chip

Ive been waiting since Oct for an appointment to have an echo cardiagram. I got the appointment yesterday for March 19th. As I was marked down as urgent this is somewhat worrying.

I seem to remember Mr Blair having this done on the NHS within 24 hours of him having a heart scare. Funny that!!

Do you think he jumped the queue???

Chip

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

There is a target but I think its 6 months. It it turned out to be 2 months the have ways of altering the numbers, eg. pre booking a booking then confirming it within the target lead time. so you could be waiting 8 months but your appointment only gets made 2 months before your arrival.

I had a similar situation and I called up the receptionist every day ans asked for a cancellation. It was a pain but I got an appointment faster.

oldsplice

Don't they do ECGs at your local surgery Chip?

SJ_Skyline

Paul, I hope it's nothing serious or painful for you. It does, sadly, reinforce the benefits of private healthcare and being able to pick your time and place.

Found out last week that I need to go under tyhe knife again to have these screws taken out of my shin. Much easier this time round, so I'm told...

Fingers crossed for you.

Chip

Yep , but your thinking of an electrocardiagram not an echo cardiagram.

Chip

oldsplice

Oh, yeah.......sorry....I didn't read it properly. I've been doing medical summarising for the last few hours and all the words are starting to look the same now!

Jamie

Paul can they not get you in mk hospital as it is more cleaner and up to date than Northampton?

nixxon

If you have chest pains, gt yourself down to A&E pronto! Since you already have a suspected heart condition they will take your case seriously. Even if you don't have pains, but want to hustle things along, then get down there. Who's to know?
There's no need to see a consultant privately, but their private secretary will be a great help in hurrying things up a bit. Their NHS secretary will be virtually useless.
Good luck.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Hi Paul

Just google "18 week referal to treatment" (RRT) for the government targets ..... and lots of stuff will come up.

I could give you all the targets I have to work to (I'm a consultant..teeth) but they are dwarfed by the targets / frameworks that the HNS works to for the "quick" killer diseases...... leukemia, cancers ect which is usually way less than 10 days RRT


Cheers



Shaun