Recommended hospitals

[GardeningFlowers]

Hi everyone. Back to my questions again and yes I am still hanging around waiting for the next step in this long drawn out process. Can you please help me with recommendations for a good hospital in the North of England. I live in Wakefield and have been looking online. I am interested in the Liverpool hospital as they prefer the minimally invasive route. Leeds General infirmary must be busy and probably backlogged as I am hearing nothing from them. 😒

[gilreid1]

Wondering why you want a choice Surely your cardiologist who examined you is based at a local hospital? And had given you a schedule

[GardeningFlowers in reply to gilreid1]

Hi. Not seen my consultant yet. Had echo cardiogram and ecg and then saw a doctor in another department who told me what they had found. Went for breathing tests and now waiting. No idea who my consultant is. From what I have read you can request another hospital. Liverpool have a good reputation. Wish I had a schedule though. I have severe aortic regurgitation and leaky heart valve. Mine was caused by radiotherapy 9 years ago.

[gilreid1 in reply to GardeningFlowers]

I am now confused. A consultant has not reached a diagnosis that you need OHS. I would think you would need that to happen before you can select a hospital ( even then if you have a choice ?)

[GardeningFlowers in reply to gilreid1]

Sorry. Think I am confusing everyone with my chat. I saw a Consultant who was standing in for my consultant. Told me my diagnosis and told me that I need OHS to replace my aortic valve.

[gilreid1 in reply to GardeningFlowers]

Ok so was that at a hospital. ? In my part of the uk that hospital is where you would be treated

[GardeningFlowers in reply to gilreid1]

Hi again. Yes it was at Leeds General infirmary. Cardiology unit. Think the doctor who was nice and explained the diagnosis to me said the consultant was busy that day. I have read that you can request to go to another hospital. Some NHS agreement.

[gilreid1 in reply to GardeningFlowers]

Ok but can’t understand why. Unless you are not happy with your cardiologist. I would think you would need to go through the process again and travel further. But if you have that choice then your decision Good luck

[Heather1957]

Do you have a choice of hospitals where you live?

When I had to have a bypass there were 2 hospitals in South Wales I could go to, my Cardiologist checked which hospital had the shortest waiting list and referred me there. Luckily it was the hospital closest to where I lived.

I didn't have a choice.

[Antique50]

Hello GardeningFlowers

I am going to the Liverpool heart hospital next week. I asked my GP for a private referral. ( A second opinion is not allowed).

The referral was sent to the cardiologist specialising in my heart procedure. A cardiologist rang me and his secretary rang with an appointment for the next week. Hope this helps.

[GardeningFlowers in reply to Antique50]

Hi. Were you referred on the NHS.

[Antique50 in reply to GardeningFlowers]

Hello Gardening Flowers - I was advised to have a mitral clip for mitral valve regurgitation and wanted to have a repair. I asked my GP about 2nd opinion and she gave me a letter of referral to Liverpool. I had decided that I could afford to pay for a private consultation because it would be quicker. nHS are paying for operation. I have had all my pre op X-rays, echos etc. I am seeing the cardiologist next week. Just hope they say yes ! Hope this has helped.

[GardeningFlowers in reply to Antique50]

Hi. That's great. Good to hear your news. I am hoping to be able to go to Liverpool on the NHS. I have yet to see my consultant in charge of my surgery. I did a lot of looking into hospitals and I liked Liverpools way of prefering minimally invasive procedures. How are they doing yours. Hope you don't mind me asking.

[Antique50 in reply to GardeningFlowers]

Hi Gardening Flowers - yes it is going to be minimally invasive because I have spine problems. I need same op as you. Hope this helps. I still have to be examined and accepted though. I’ll let you know how it goes.

[GardeningFlowers in reply to Antique50]

Hi. Wanted to let you know that I have received email from Liverpool hospital to arrange an appointment. I am so happy to receive this as I am feeling worse by the day. Think my time for surgery is fast approaching. How are you doing. Hope you are okay.

[Antique50 in reply to GardeningFlowers]

Hello GFJust got back from seeing cardiologist at Liverpool. a friend drove me there and we stayed at hotel because it took 5 hours to get there. I am feeling exhausted most of the time now - is that how you feel? Anyway - cardiologist examined me and explained that I was a candidate for robotic minimally invasive surgery for mitral valve. Relieved because local hospital advised MitralClip surgery which I knew would not last as long. However, he was so booked up that unless I got worse the waiting list was 8 months to a year ! (Unless I could pay privately which I can’t)

I might have to get GP involved. Sorry this is so long. Glad you have appt and hope your op will be a lot sooner.

Best wishes.

[GardeningFlowers in reply to Antique50]

Hi. Sorry for not replying sooner. Yes I am absolutely tired out every day. Sounds like we are the same. I am breathless by the time I walk upstairs. I am sleeping on the sofa some nights. It sounds like a long waiting list. But it's good that they are offering minimally invasive surgery. I hope that you don't have to wait 8 months. I don't think I can stand to feel like this for that long. Look forward to hearing from you again. Hope your g.p can help. I will let you know how I get on.

[Antique50 in reply to GardeningFlowers]

Hello GFI was wondering if you have an appointment yet with Liverpool? I have started to think I might have to pay to get op earlier. Most cardiac hospitals seem to have long waiting lists. Hope you haven’t got any worse. The waiting is making me a bit anxious! Best wishes Sandra

[GardeningFlowers in reply to Antique50]

Hi Sandra. No appointment yet. Secretary is on holiday at the moment. It's quite alarming the length of the waiting lists. I keep reading how long people have to wait yet if you can afford to pay a fortune for appointment and surgery they can do it straight away. Seems so wrong. I am fed up with being like I am at the moment. Plus I have back problems with 3 fractured vertebrae and osteoarthritis. I am trying hard not to stress but it's difficult. I think a lot of us are all going through the same thing. I do feel the most support comes from chatting to everyone on here. Thank you for your support Sandra. Look after yourself and I will keep you posted with my progress. Liz❤️

[Hidden]

Dear GardeningFlowers

Are you thinking of going private? Then your Dr/ surgery will have all the numbers for you.

If not I’m unsure if your will get a choice or not, down here in Southampton I certainly didn’t nor did I think that I needed it.

My operation was cancelled 6 times, twice right up to going into surgery and the only good part of that was that I had the pre-med so spent the rest of the morning on cloud nine.

Mine were cancelled because of others worse of than myself, they needed to go first and I for one had no problem with that.

Waiting is draining and worrying for both you and your loved ones, because believe me they are hurting as well.

Your time will come I promise you and soon you will be on your heart journey, but maybe just a bit further down on the list to someone that unfortunately needs the treatment right now.

I am not judging you as I was a smoker {many years ago} but to help your recovery you have to think of quitting { cigarette in your post picture}

Take care, you are not alone, we are here for you.

[Heather1957 in reply to Hidden]

My bypass was cancelled , thankfully only once. I should have been 2nd down, I had my pre med and had taken an antiseptic shower (?) but the first surgery took longer than expected. Like you I didn't have a problem, that was on a Wednesday and I thought I would be sent home, but luckily I was kept in and was first down on the Friday!

[Hidden in reply to Heather1957]

The worst bits were being sent home and trying to explain to loved ones that my turn would be soon. But still like you, that part is in the past and looking back it all seemed a bit of a blur.

As ever take care

[Chriswood79]

Hi GardeningFlowers. I work in the NHS and understand what you are asking. As an NHS patient you can be seen and treated anywhere you wish to be and this is your choice. However, this choice needs to be made when you are referred by your GP to a hospital and you can tell them you want to go to X. This might be because of ease of travel, recommendations etc but your GP will probably not ask this question and refer you to your local hospital as they know who the consultant is and follow these ‘pathways’ every day. If you were referred following an A&E visit to hospital, again it would be to that hospital cardiology dept consultant. So, as an elective patient you are on a Referral to Treatment (RTT) pathway - the treatment being your surgery. Usual, unless it’s complex surely that needs a specialist hospital you will have the consultation and surgery within the same hospital Trust (there may be multiple hospital sites as part of the same trust you might move between) and this is all done through the same cardiology team. However, if you want to change hospital Trust (ie Leeds to Liverpool) you would have to have a consultation etc again first as you would be on a new RTT pathway as this is now your choice to move and potentially be at the back of the queue. You could though ask your current consultant to refer you to Liverpool but with waiting lists as long as they are all hospitals have excellent surgeons and the ones that are ‘highly recommended’ have the longest waiting times and less NHS capacity as they maximise their private work. Hope that makes a bit of sense and sorry for the long post. Ask me anything and I’ll try and respond as best as I can for you. Very best of luck. Chris

[GardeningFlowers in reply to Chriswood79]

Hi. Thanks Chris for your reply. Knew I had read about this.. I thought wrongly that once I had seen my consultant that he would refer me on to Liverpool. I have had 2 tests but still have not seen my consultant. The doctor who I have seen was from the heart failure department. He had my ecg and echo cardiogram. He told me I needed open heart surgery and about my leaky heart valve and regurgitation. Said he was helping out and would send my results to consultant and I would be contacted. Liverpool have alternatives to full open heart surgery as they have cardiology teams that specialise in this surgery and what I have read appeals to me. Leeds don't do this. Sorry for my long reply. 🙂

[Chriswood79]

Ok. So mention to your consultant when you do get your appointment through. They will discuss your options and know where would be best suited for you. And refer you on to Liverpool.

[GardeningFlowers in reply to Chriswood79]

Thanks so much for your help. I will let you know how I get on with this.

[GardeningFlowers]

Hi Jo. Thanks for your reply. I will definitely do this and let you know how I get on. Fingers crossed it will be a positive outcome.