Frustration with cardiologist, results of treadmill test

[Lisajb1966]

My husband is a taxi driver, he had a heart attack back in March.

To get his taxi licence back he had to have a medical - done, no problems there - and the stress test. This was carried out at the hospital who treated him after his heart attack.

Problem is they will not give him the result. He saw the cardiologist on Saturday, asked, she said she needs to fill in a form.

The only form we can find is the DVLA one. He was seeing the cardio rehab team on Monday, took a copy with him, they said “oh yes, we’ve done these before”. Ok, job done he thought.

Today it came back in the post, not completed with a note from the cardiologist saying she can’t do it and to ask his GP. And of his ECG stress test results, not a thing.

We have a completed DVLA form from the doctor whom did his medical. It’s the stress test thing that is holding us back - without it he can’t get his taxi licence back. I don’t know why the cardiologist is refusing to let him have the results. We can’t get through to her, her secretary or the rehab team on the phone.

His sick pay time is nearly expired, I don’t know what we’re expected to do afterwards, live on thin air no doubt.

Can anyone suggest a way to persuade her to part with the results?

[Chappychap]

You have a legal right to all your medical records, that includes any and all test results. You may be asked to cover the cost of duplicating records (ie, making an extra copy of an X-Ray for example) but by and large there's no charge.

This right is enfranchised in multiple pieces of legislation, consequently medical professionals are generally conversant with it and will never wish to appear obstructive because they know the patient is always in the right on this one.

Any further delays and I'd contact PALS at the hospital concerned, there's absolutely no excuses why your test results should not be shared with you.

Good luck!

[Lisajb1966 in reply to Chappychap]

Thank you. We’ll see what tomorrow brings - he has a growing list of people to call.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

As Chappychap says under the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR you are legally entitled to a copy of your medical notes and test results.

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

I suggest you by pass the Cardiologist, contact the Patient Advisory Liaison Service PALS and ask them to send you the appropriate form to make the request for the results.

The Trust has 40 days to provide the information requested.

It could be as simple as the Cardiologist not knowing how to fill the form in, not having the time or deciding it is your GP's job.

None of which should be allowed to hinder you getting the results.

I hope you get it sorted ASAP.

[Lisajb1966 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you. He’s utterly frustrated and cannot understand why he can’t have the results of the test. I have passed on your advice to ring the hospitals PALS.

[BernieMB]

I would contact PALS at the same hospital and they will sort it out for you.

[Janma123]

My son has epilepsy and has to have a report from his consultant to renew or get back his license. The DVLA always contact the consultant after my son has submitted his form and any results etc are sent direct from the consultant to DVLA. Could it be that you need to submit the application medical form and they will then contact the consultant and anyone else needed for their input?Hope that helps,

Jane

[Lisajb1966 in reply to Janma123]

To be honest, we don’t know! We’ve had absolutely no guidance from anyone as to what to do. We knew he needed the medical - from that it transpired that he needed the stress test. He’s ok to drive a car - the taxi licence comes from the local authority who are using a DVLA form. They are asking for the stress test but just shrug their shoulders when you ask them anything.

[Janma123 in reply to Lisajb1966]

That is maybe different. The consultant may be confusing it with an HGV/PSV (or whatever it is now called) licence where the DVLA would communicate directly with the consultant.Speak to your GP again as the results of the test will eventually be sent to them if they requested the stress test. They can maybe speed things up.

[Farmer87]

If I recall as this was years ago, the DVLA instructed the team to do the stress test, I didn't see the results but they were sent direct to the DVLA - I'm just renewing my HGV licence at the moment and hoping I don't need to do the stress test again as it took me nearly a year to get it the last time.

I know through experience that they never gave me any details or results on my stress test doing my medical but the one I had when they were diagnosing my condition I did.

[Tonybax]

I had to have stress test to retain my HGV. Could only get the stress test at a DVLA approved facility which was not my local hospital cardiology unit but some 40 miles away at another hospital. DVLA sent me the details after submitting medical forms to them. Be aware that the stress test is undertaken as a ‘private’ appointment but DVLA pay for it. Took me over a year to jump through all the DVLA hoops. Good luck.

[richard_jw]

it looks like you have to fill in form VOCH1. Then DVLA contact the GP/cardiologistWhenever I have had a stress echo or other test, the cardiologist has written to my GP and copied me.

This might enable the GP to answer the relevant questions the DVLA has. Indeed it's true that you are entitled to all your medical records. I got a CD with an angiogram on recently. It did take a while (3 weeks), but I don't believe you should have to go down that route.

[Lisajb1966 in reply to richard_jw]

The local authority have repurposed the the HGV form for taxi licences. The main problem is that he’s had the stress test, the consultant says she needs a form but can’t say which form. Husband spoke to the doctor who did his medical, doctor was incredulous and said the consultant doesn’t need a form, if he can get hold of the ecg results then the doctor is happy to analyse and sign it off. So it’s off to PALS, I think, to obtain this.

[Exie8 in reply to Lisajb1966]

Not sure who the doctor was who carried out the medical and presumably ordered the stress test but they should have been sent sent the result of same, as should your GP and consultant. Can't really see why you aren't being given the result but you could consider making a subject access request to see the report. However, if this was done privately, different rules may apply?

[Lisajb1966 in reply to Exie8]

Even his GP hasn’t had sight of it.

[Cookie2020]

Have you tried speaking to the records department at the hospital that’s what I did when asking for my records