Hospital Text Messages

[Lawrence78]

Hello again.

So I am now waiting for a CT scan for my heart and I got a text message from the hospital today. It told me the date and time but it said urgent at the top. Does this mean ''urgent'' as in something is wrong or just ''urgent'' as in this is an important message from the hospital? Do all hospital messages for appointments have urgent at the top?

I did ring up and ask and the lady told me its standard text wording and that if it was urgent I'd be in within days (mine is in just over 3 weeks). Is that right or is she trying to stop me from worrying?

Also, my scan is on a Sunday, do hospital departments do things like this on the weekend now? Is this due to the number of people needing scans? This also kinda got me worried because it seems unusual.

[Lezzers]

I would say it's urgent inasmuch as they want it done in a reasonable amount of time instead of the usual months & months of waiting & the hospital have marked the txt urgent so that you read it immediately, some people don't read messages for days at a time, I'm guilty of that! When my husband had to have an urgent echo he was phoned to come in the next day. If it was urgent urgent I don't think you would have to wait 3 weeks. Yes, hospitals now do scans, x-rays etc 7 days a week & at all times of the day and even into the evenings. Again my husband has had a scan appt at 6pm before now. Good luck, hope all goes well with the scan 🤞

[10gingercats in reply to Lezzers]

Yes. Scans and tests and espe. Cataract surgery are often done now on Sunday and in the early eve. We have had a couple of invites and like you wondered why but felt grateful the hospitals were using the space they have well.

[Lezzers in reply to 10gingercats]

A lot of hospitals, if not all, are also doing catch up. My husband was recently called into an ICD check up at Papworth on a sat, usually the pacing clinics are 9-5, week days only appts!

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

i think it said Urgent, because they Urgently wanted you to read the reminder and attend. They dont want anyone to miss a slot.

I hope it goes well.

[roughquest]

it’s just normal wording, I’ve had a scan at 9:30 at night on the last two years, the scans seem to be round the clock. For an example of urgent I had a call on a Wednesday afternoon asking if I could have a scan Thursday or Friday four weeks ago.

[francesw47]

Every text I've had from a hospital has been headed Urgent.....they really want you to read it! Many ignore texts nowadays. As for 7 day working - many do it in diagnsostic imaging just to get through the volume otherwise waiting times would be years! The demand for services far exceeds supply for a variety of different reasons. I can see where you are coming from though = a text headed Urgent coupled with a Sunday apt could easily be interpreted as 'they think I've got something really wrong with me' when in fact both seem pretty routine nowadays.

When you know the results, let us know how you are.

[Newstart3]

Hi Lawrence78I was called for a scan on a weekend ... I assumed it was part of the initiative to reduce waiting lists ... it was great when I went - much less busier than in the week and plenty of parking spaces! Re the urgent remark, it might be this is standard hospital speak in respect of Internal waiting time targets. Try not to worry.

[Qualipop]

Oh yes weekends are very common now; trying to cut down the waiting list. I've had weekend appointments with a pain consultant, a surgeon, even ENT. They usually pay a registrar or consultant to work in private hospitals to do outpatient appointments.

[Smitty1956]

Hi, Lawrence78,

First, best wishes for your upcoming CT scan!

Like you, I would have been very nervous with the “Urgent” heading on the message. It seems that the hospital and those responding on the forum have explained that this may have simply been a tactic to get people to read the messages.

Also, like you, I would have been totally surprised to have my CT scan scheduled on a Sunday. I live in the US, so I would be shocked to see anything scheduled on a Sunday unless I had to go to the emergency room.

Thankfully, it appears that this is normal practice in the UK . I think that it is nice that you can have tests and procedures even on weekends and/or evenings. Again, best wishes for your scan!

[Chickenlou]

Yep my partner has had an appointment for a scan on a Saturday and even seen the vascular consultant 3 times on a Saturday (planned appointment, not emergency.) Think the NHS are just trying really hard to catch up.

Hope it all goes well.

[LindyMc]

I had a GP ordered echo on a Sunday in Hereford before Christmas. Apparently they were getting so clogged up with hospital ordered echos that they got an agency team up from London for a few weekends to clear the backlog. Great service!

[Digger0]

My son had a scan on a Sunday 6 years ago, so don't worry. My texts from the hospital always say Urgent - even if it's for an appointment in 6 months time. It's so you don't delete it. Good luck!

[Lawrence78]

Does anyone know how long it generally takes for a CT scan result to get back to your consultant (or whoever ordered the scan)? On a letter I got from the hospital it says up to 5 days.

[Tos92 in reply to Lawrence78]

5 days is rather quick compared to most waiting times for results. I believe the standard is 7 days, if it’s urgent then they will let you know sooner. I know I was waiting months for my results at one point for a myocardial perfusion scan.