Hi I have just had a cardioversion which put me into sinus rhythm for all of 2 days.
AF ablation seems to be the next step. The Arrhythmia nurse tells me the waiting list with my referred consultant is 9 months.
Anyone know if I have any other options? eg go private ,cost?
Look for another consultant? If so how do I do that?
If you are NHS that is about average wait to be honest. Private may cost from £15k upwards if nothing goes wrong but even an extra day in hospital could cost you another £500-£1000.
Really!?
I just googled it and the indicated cost was £2500
privatehealth.co.uk/conditi...
There must be something missing somewhere there - the EP's fee, perhaps, plus the costs of the various assistants?
I waited over a year for one ablation, but last time I enquired the list was only 6 months.
Wronnngggggggg!!!!!!!! Suggest you youtube St Georges Hospital, catheter ablation and watch one carried out by Dr Mark Gallagher and then you will see why £2500 is so unrealistic!!
oooppsss....youtube "British Heart Foundation ablation".....sorry!
Actually Mark Gallagher is my EP!
I suspect that is the consultant's fee, does not include theatre, anaesthetist, nurses, private room etc....
That sounds way to cheap, I was quoted more than that for a cardioversion three years ago.
When I had my Amplatzer amulet fitted this year the hospital cost was £7103 whether it was day surgery or an overnight stay if done late in the day. The consultant and the anesthetist had to be added to that
Hi Mugster and welcome to the forum. NHS waiting lists are very much a variable issue, but the time you have been told is actually better than many here are told. If you are taking a NOAC anti-coagulant, let the hospital know as this could make you more suitable to pick up a cancellation. There is no easy answer I'm afraid, all you can do it make enquires at hospitals within striking distance from home. If you are told that the waiting list below 3 to 6 months, you need to wonder why.....such as, what is the track record and success rate of the EP etc.
Going private is obviously going to be much quicker, but the consultant will need to make an assessment on your overall condition and, of course, time is money, so the longer it takes, the more it will cost. Some people here have had private treatment and they may give you some guidance on cost but I recall figures like £15k to £25k being mentioned. You also need to consider that more than one ablation may be necessary and sadly it's not a buy one, get one free situation, so think carefully about the implications as it may not be easy to go back to the NHS should the need arise.
Obviously you want to get it done as quickly and as effectively as possible, but if you are able to function reasonably well with medication, the time does pass and if you "politely" pester the scheduling team with charm and a smile, you may find that they will come up with a cancellation. A lot depends on the relationship and confidence you have with the EP and if you want him to perform the procedure.
If you are finding it difficult to function, this may also have an impact on the waiting time, but no easy answers.....best of luck, John
That is probably a typical waiting list time I'm afraid. I'm in the south east and on a 10 month waiting list for ablation no 4. ( hoping that things will settle during that time and I won't need it though !)
I was quoted 15k for an ablation 8 years ago. At that time I was offered an ablation within weeks of my first appt at the Heart Hospital in London...nhs
Possibly you may get an earlier appt if you are prepared to travel.
Sandra
I was told 6 months but I was able to go in at short notice so I was given a cancellation slot at 4 months. I think a lot depends on your situation, I needed to come off medication so my ablation was considered more urgent.
My ablation was scheduled in one month after being told that ablation was an option. They told me a week ago that he is backed up about 2 months. My regular cardiologist doctor referred me to this specialist where that is all he does is ablations. Maybe it is a location or area thing. I'd recommend trying to find someone else. I live in Boulder CO in the Rockies where heart issues abound. I had the ablation but it failed and now I'm trying meds. There are many success stories with this surgery though, and I personally know a guy in his mid 70's that has gone 2 years and is a 100% success story.
Hi. What does it cost ...private... to have an ablation in the states?
TOTAL COST . I am in Ontario Canada, and the wait time can be long for a lot of health issues.
I asked for a cancellation after my first, and much disliked EP, told me his list was 6 months. I rang the cardiology department and asked to speak to the bookings clerk. I managed to be seen in two months by my second and entirely delightful EP because it was July and people were refusing their offered operations slots because of holidays.
The same happened again for my second ablation and I rang, pointing out it was December, and people will not accept operations just before Christmas. I was given a preop date of 5 days later and offered an operation slot for 10 days later. Believe it or not this slot had been refused by the three people ahead of me on the cancellation list.
Worth a shot.
Hi I live in N Ireland I have private health insurance but due to problems with QCC my insurers initially refused to pay for my ablation I was desperate and spoke to my EP about just paying for it myself he told me it would be 15k and only if nothing went wrong! didnt want to take that chance especially as the previous one failed! I agree with everyone else get on the cancellation list!
Regards
It must be a bit of a postcode lottery. Both my ablations in 2 different areas were within 3 months 2011/2017. Some good advise above I don't need to say more but phoning around may establise what other EP's waiting lists are and writing letters may help. I get good responses from writing a letter or emailing compared with phoning.
Hi I did some research within the last four weeks and it was £11000 at Leicester and just over £8000 at North Staffs
Both were respected services But with a success rate of 80% and with no private medical insurance my consultant advised me to save my money and try for a cancellation as these occur quite frequently
Private waiting time at North Staffs was 2 weeks Leicester was 10 weeks plus
I've been on the waiting list for about a year now. I'm not overly fussed though as i reverted naturally with no intervention after 8 months of persistent AF and have been in NSR for 6 months
Ive stayed on the list just in case it flips again in the meantime, although it does mean travel insurance costs more while i'm on a list
I'm in a similar position, tho the longer I go without AF, the more I am thinking of cancelling the ablation
Me too, although sod's law would mean i flip into AF the day after cancelling.
I'm not keen on having an ablation in reality anyway. The EP said that's what needed to be done. I did go back after about a month or so to discuss my concerns with one of his staff. They again talked me over.
However i would prefer to have a cardioversion if AF strikes again. Especially knowing that i've lasted this long in NSR.
After my first AF episode i was DC cardioverted, which kept me in NSR for 2 years
Thanks for all the great advice. It sounds like looking for a cancellation may be the way to go
By the way is there a link to success rates of individual consultants?
I was put on the waiting list in May and was told the waiting list was 6-8 months. I was quite symptomatic so my GP and the Cardiac Specialist Nurse both contacted my EP and asked that I be seen sooner rather than later and that I was willing to take a cancellation. I then got an appointment for July.
Just for info, I had my ablation in July privately and have just seen a copy of the the bill of £16,000 for the hospital plus £1,300 for the consultant.
Hi mugster , may I ask who your EP is ? And what hospital you are looking at having your ablation procedure done. I am going for mine on Thursday at Glenfeild hospital in Leicester. They said 4 months waiting list and it was that . However due to sickness and beds my first date was cancelled, but then they sent me another date quite quickly but had to get bloods in range so another date was put to me . All round they have up to now been very quick on dates and it's NHS .
Nhs long waiting lists
Waiting Ablation 
Waiting for ablation
Waiting For Ablation
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