March 17th 2021 carted off to Wolverhampton from home in North Shropshire with a NSTEMI. Very quick one hour journey with blues and twos angioplasty and stent. Back home the following day. They did an echocardiogram a couple of weeks later and told me all was well.
Then referred back to the local hospital, Royal Shrewsbury, for rehab. Got a phone call from them to say they were closed because of “guess what” and heard nothing more.
Subsequently I saw a cardiologist privately because I needed a medical certificate for a diving license and had a Bruce stress test with all OK. He advised a cardiac MRI to see what damage, if any, there was to my heart.
My GP sent the referral to Royal Shrewsbury last March and as I’d heard nothing I contacted them today and they tell me that the waiting list is one year and that their cardiology unit discharged me in April last year. It would have been nice if they’d told me.
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Mentdent
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That’s rubbish, I had by CABG at Newcross they were brilliant and been back today for my 6 week follow up they are arranging a stress test and a follow up after. My actual rehab with action heart and my cardiologist is at Russells Hall who have been really good as well.Any chance you can get referred somewhere else?
I know it’s bad. Royal Shrewsbury is hopeless but the nearest alternative is Wrexham and that’s even worse. I can get a private MRI in Liverpool but that’s a long way from here. Weirdly an orthopaedic referral in North Shropshire is very quick and high quality. Living in the country has good and bad bits.
Hello, I am in Shropshire and I asked about rehab and they said apart from online that there was nothing they could do. In the end I spoke to a member of the Wolverhampton rehab team at New Cross. I know it means I have to drive over to the rehab gym sessions from where I am, but I am really grateful that they were able to include me in their weekly rehab sessions. They are wonderful people. We are only a small group but it is so helpful. I joined quite late into my recovery and I contacted them in my own initiative, but I don’t regret it and I certainly don’t mind driving over to Wolverhampton from where I am.
The best of luck and I hope it helps. Take care, Judi
It’s an hour and a half each way from where I am to NewCross. The para medics took me there because they said Royal Shropshire wasn’t the place to go with a heart problem.
Sadly everything seems to be falling apart in the health service even communication. It's good to see some Midlanders on here. I originate from Wolves. Live in Stafford at present and looking for somewhere to live at present. Telford maybe a possibility.I was a driver for a living before retirement so now all the areas around Shropshire. Hope Mentdent and everyone else is keeping well. Brian
New Cross is amazing - I had a new heart valve there last November.As for rehab this came under Shropshire as I live in Telford- I had phone calls with a physio and instructions sent in the post - this didn’t work as I couldn’t understand the exercises (photo copies unclear). They were not cardiac related just general.
As a one off could you have a cardiac MRI privately in Wolverhampton?
My children need to be checked as my condition is hereditary but both have received holding letters from Shropshire (requested 8 months ago).
I feel so fortunate to have had my surgery at New Cross - my GP told me to go there as they are a regional centre.
I do hope that you get things sorted and the care that you need.
All I can get from Shrewsbury is that it’s 12 months from referral before they’ll even look at me and the medical secretaries have answer phones that they don’t respond to. A private MRI is available at Broadgeen in Liverpool but that’ll cost more than £2,000. No wonder the paramedics told me to let them take me to New Cross.
Hello Mentdent I totally agree with you re :Royal Shrewsbury Hospital having had a heart attack just over three years ago and spent 16 hours in their corridor before being sent to an all male bay! I had an angiogram a day later at Telford and then sent home the next day on meds because my RCA is blocked! they said it was an old blockage and could not do anything for me. I have a yearly 2 minute telephone call from a cardiologist I cannot understand, as for rehab didn’t get offered any. This is before Covid! My husband at the same time had radiotherapy at the Lingen Davis unit for prostate cancer and had excellent care.
The phone number for the Heart Assessment Team is 01952641222 ext 4457 - perhaps it might be worth phoning them.I’m on Warfarin and the anticoagulant nurses are great - could they give you any advise.
Also have you tried the cardiologist that you were under in Wolverhampton as another option - ask his secretary for support
I live in northern ireland and the NHS is falling apart over here have a cardiac nurse only ever phones me no review of meds as yet and no review by cardiology still waiting. Have been waiting since April the meds are are crippling me with side effects. Also live in a rural community my Mother lives in Worcestershire mine is genetic still no word when my children will be seen. Hope you get more joy than me 😀
I had my bypass in New Cross, they were very good. Now I live in Market Drayton and I haven't even met my Dr. 18 months post bypass, I just go it alone. Good on the paramedics for taking you there. During covid they did rehab online via live zoom meetings. Perhaps they can still do this? Worth asking.
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Transfer of medical records between hospitals
Referral to london
It’s a long process 
Just finished cardio rehab
24 hrs Holster test results 
