Heart scan advice

[Magdoryx]

I’m thinking of getting a private scan of my heart and was wondering if anyone could recommend a good company.

[Hidden]

I'm.in scotland so depending on where you are, perhaps look I. To your local private hospital or ask your gp. Good luck.

[Magdoryx]

I live in cumbria. I went to the doc when I had heart palpitations one night. They did a 10 second EEG that showed nothing so they couldn’t do anything else. I know it sounds hypochondriac but my heart just doesn’t feel right so for my own piece of mind I want to get a scan.

[080311]

Hello Magdoryx

Can I ask why you want a heart scan, have you symptoms if so going through your GP is where to start. Looking at your bio you don’t list any issues so don’t understand.

In order it’s ECG blood tests, then echocardiogram, and then the gold standard which is an angiogram, this though is invasive so unless you have distinct symptoms that wouldn’t be given.

Hope you get the answers you are looking for.

Best wishes Pauline

[gilreid1]

If you live in the uk 🇬🇧 why do you feel it necessary to have a private heart scan. Your gp would advise first if you need one and if required the urgency ? If urgent and life threatening you would not wait long

Gil

[Magdoryx]

The NHS is under immense pressure dealing with 50,000 Covid infections a day. As this is more for my peace of mind more than anything else I think it’s more prudent to go private.

[Buddy00 in reply to Magdoryx]

I think you’ll find that’s only (possibly) positive cases . Not actually ill people . There’s only a few hundred in the whole country in hospital in a bed.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Buddy00]

On 16th July nearly 4000 Covid patients were in hospital in the UK, and 717 new cases admitted that day. Gov.uk figures.

[Hidden in reply to Magdoryx]

I had private ct scan as NHS were too busy had in harefield hospital had to be referred from gp

[Katerina802]

You can google and find a private echocardiogram in your area but you'll still need to be referred by your GP I think.

[Katerina802]

On here seems like you can self-refer without GP: vista-health.co.uk/services...

[Barbara72]

I had a private MRI scan which cost £1000, then subsequently had treatment under NHS who asked for the private MRI to compare and contrast with theirs. This was refused on the grounds that the private company owned the scan and that I had paid for interpretation.

Be very clear exactly who has the rights and what exactly you are paying for.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Barbara72]

Did this happen recently?

The General Data Protection Regulation GDPR Act gives patients the legal right to access their medical records and test results.

ico.org.uk/for-organisation...

[Barbara72 in reply to Milkfairy]

That’s what I thought, but apparently not in N. I.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Barbara72]

The GDPR act was introduced by the European Union.

It seems strange that NI is not bound by the regulations too.

This link might be helpful

niassembly.gov.uk/about-the...

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Barbara72]

What if you just asked for the scan, not a copy of the interpretation?

[Barbara72 in reply to Kristin1812]

That’s what my consultant asked for. Immaterial now as the NHS did another one, but it would have been easier to use the existing scan.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Barbara72]

For sure, much easier and cheaper on the service.

[Jocastina]

Depends where you are. My NHS cardiologist at Hammersmith Hospital in London does private work for One Welbeck and Imperial Private Health. My surgeon does private work at One Heart Clinic (I have not been to either of these clinics - I’ve only seen these doctors on the NHS). Out of London, you could start by looking up who is the cardiology lead at your local hospital - this info is all available on their websites and then google the name to find out if/where they practice privately. You’ll have a consultation with them and then they’ll refer you for the right tests. Alternatively look at the BUPA website and self pay option and see what’s available in your area although it’s likely you will see the same names. However I would be very wary of a cardiologist who works only privately and not for the NHS and would avoid that. Also check costs carefully first, and ask about something called ‘hospital costs’ which are often charged in addition to consultants and test fees, and ask what happens if they recommend any procedure and if you can then switch to the NHS (I’m assuming you don’t have health insurance) because you absolutely do not want to be paying for heart procedures yourself as they can be unbelievably expensive. Good luck!

[Cacabeto in reply to Jocastina]

In Dorset there is a cardiac unit at the NHS hospital which does private consultations and all

necessary tests. Do not forget that the great majority of cardiologists etc work in both sectors as the NHS is being privatised day by day. The private patients subsidise the NHS.

[Steve_G]

During the journey me and my wife have been on it’s become clear that interventional cardiology falls into two groups - plumbers and electricians. The plumbers look after the flow of blood and the electricians the nerves that control the beating of the heart (I’ve had a triple bypass and my wife an ablation for SVT and palpitations). I’m no medic but would think that for palpitations an ECG is the right starting point for something involving the electrics rather than the plumbing. My wife ended up with 24 hour monitoring of ECG & BP before the ablation which confirmed a high rate of ectopic/ extra beats. I had symptoms of coronary artery disease, angina, so was sent straight to angiogram which is an invasive process with a degree of risk including MI. The cardiologist wanted the certainty of the angiogram rather than the non-invasive CT scan that is also offered in private heart health checks. Pre and post op I had echocardiograms which use ultrasound to check the efficiency with which the heart is pumping blood.

If you’re really anxious and can afford it you could always look for heart health check/MOT which would likely include bloods to rule out high cholesterol & diabetes, blood pressure, ECG and possibly a CT scan.

[pjw17]

Hello Magdoryx, I had HA and 1 stent fitted may 20 had echo at hospital (Broad Green Liverpool).

Was told my next echo would be year after event.

After about 6 months went private, paid £400 for echo, the results were quite good near to magical 55%EF.

Then unexpectedly got call from my nhs cardiologist to go for echo in Jan 21.

The results from this weren't as good EF 44% I showed the private echo to radiographer?, he didn't agree with private echo, I asked have I deteriorated, and he stated the results were same as hospital scan in May after HA.

So I was a bit confused /annoyed about the private scan.

[Magdoryx]

Thinking of contacting heartscan.co.uk. I checked the CQC and they’re rated good to outstanding.