Not getting anywhere with emailing about MRI appointment??

[Yumz199725]

I know this appointment is routine but I assumed that I would of been sent an appointment through the post by now Im not getting anywhere with emailing the hospital about it. Any suggestions??

[Cavalierrubie]

Hey Yumz, sorry to hear you are still having problems. Have you tried giving them a phone call? I think it might be better if you could get to speak to someone and would be quicker getting somewhere with it. Everything seems to be delayed these days. It must be getting you down. 😫

[Yumz199725 in reply to Cavalierrubie]

Yeah so true well delayed 💔🙁. I will definitely be ringing up tomorrow x

[Tos92]

Give them a ring if you have a number for them. If you can’t find a number or they don’t answer, PALS might be your last option. PALS can expedite things for you if you pop an email over to them explaining what the situation is. Perhaps just say you’re not making a complaint, just concerned that you haven’t heard anything yet regarding your appointment.

Tos x

[Yumz199725 in reply to Tos92]

Thanks tos I will try ringing up tomorrow x

[Cat04]

If you ring the scanning (Imaging?)appointments office they will be able to tell you how long the waiting list is and where you are on the list. You can put yourself on the cancellations list too if you can go in at short notice for it. Good luck x

[Yumz199725 in reply to Cat04]

Thanks that's great advice, only problem is my MRI isnt being done at my heart hospital it's being done at a special children's hospital x

[Cat04]

Ring the hospital switchboard where you're going to and ask for scanning department (mri) appointments office. They should be able to help x

[Rogo23]

It is time to get the Sharp elbows out, call your doctor, email your cardiologist or their team not the hospital, they are not invested in your treatment, so they will apply their own priorities, which can be different to the cardiac team.It's not unknown for us to get lost in the mix, but if you make certain that they have you on the radar it's less likely to happen , but the key is getting the people who are called Dr or even better MR on the job.

Oh and a pro tip, when you get your MRI send a thank you note to the cardiologist, he/she will be grateful, and mercenary as it sounds people are more likely to want to help plesent people.

Good luck.

Dan

[Yumz199725 in reply to Rogo23]

Thank you the people I have been emailing is my specialist nurse help line, my consultant has retired but works part time in the clinic on Wednesdays. So I think ringing up is my best bet. I just hope I can get through because last time no one answered.

[Rogo23 in reply to Yumz199725]

Try the main hospital number and ask to be transferred, you will show up as a internal number on the display. They will have been given your name, but it's the number that flags up so you might be able to bypass the no one answering bit.It's down to not giving up.

[Yumz199725 in reply to Rogo23]

Thanks for your reply, I rang them a few weeks ago and the number they put me through to no longer existed so I emailed the cardiology department and they sent the right number so I will call tomorrow had too much going on today x

[Rogo23 in reply to Yumz199725]

You could always call the switchboard and ask for the extension number for your cardiologist or cardiac nurse, if you know their names then you might get the extension.Or for the cardiac surgeons secretary,she/he has the real control of acsses to the surgeon.

Dan

[Yumz199725 in reply to Rogo23]

Yeah the consultants secretary is usually who i get through too by email and he's really nice, so I will ring up tomorrow and see how I go from there x

[Yumz199725 in reply to Rogo23]

Tried calling got through went to voicemail and I left a message and then I looked on my hospital letter and saw they have an email address so I emailed again for like 10th time. I know I'm coming across as annoying to them but I just want to know about my appointment 🤷‍♀️. Last time I was meant to have one they sent a letter through from great Ormond Street well quick so obviously there's a delay but I wish there communication with patients was better.

[Rogo23 in reply to Yumz199725]

Elbows out girl, keep on asking it's your health don't let them move you down a que without a decent explanation.So phone, email and good old fashioned snail mail.

I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Dan

[Yumz199725 in reply to Rogo23]

Thanks Dan I have been hassling them with emails always go to voicemail not getting anywhere I think it's important to have my routine MRI because my aortic regurgitation fraction could of increased as its classed as severe so I don't know why they leaving me on the lurch well unfair well stressing me out making my anxiety go though the rough! 💔😔.

[roughquest]

Remember you can ignore an email - but you can’t ignore a phone call 👍

[WardijaWardija in reply to roughquest]

If I'm not getting appropriate and timely responses by post or phone , I present myself at the relevant Hospital Department . . . Then they REALLY have to deal with you - and it works, funny that ...

[Tigger_2]

Royal Mail lost my last appointment letter.......

The health system is increasingly turning to electronic mail and mine is now a message from Patients Know Best which links to a pdf file.

That's OK if you can do all this stuff.

I found the best way to get a response from hospital departments is to go through the GP as they have better channels of communication.

It's worked twice now with same day replies from the hospital.

Hopefully, things will get better once GPs can order up scans etc. directly.

[Yumz199725 in reply to Tigger_2]

Thanks Im on the patients know best aswell it's how I found out about my last two appointments. I will try and send another email and see what happens. The MRI scan has been made through the hospital but interestingly not the hospital I'm under now but the one I used to go to before this one x I have tried contacting both hospitals with no luck.

[Yumz199725]

Update : thanks to everyones helpful suggestions they have chased up my appointment and I will be hearing from them soon. X

[Anon2023 in reply to Yumz199725]

Pleased that you’ve had some progress. I know that it was stressing you out, hopefully you’ll get your appointment through soon. Xx

[Yumz199725 in reply to Anon2023]

Thanks I'm so relieved they got back to me so quickly x I really hope my appointment comes though on Monday atleast I know I'm wishful thinking but a girl can dream 😂😅.

[Hidden]

Hi Yumz, Keep at them and you'll get sorted.

Mind, it's a post code lottery at times. My Cardiologist requested an MRI in early June, and by mid July it was done and dusted with the results waiting when I came home from holiday.

[Anon2023 in reply to Hidden]

I want to swap to your cardiologist!!😂😂

[Hidden in reply to Anon2023]

😄 I believe yours checked the MRI before sending it on to mine.

So I hope he's competant.

[Yumz199725 in reply to Anon2023]

Yeah so do I 😅 x

[Yumz199725 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks! X wow yours was sorted out so quickly, and you got your results so quick aswell, hope they were good results. Was your MRI routine or where they checking for something specific?? Sorry to be so nosey 🙃😉

[Hidden in reply to Yumz199725]

I just posted as below.

Basically the waiting list was short and a decision has to be made what to do with my pacemaker, either change batteries or replace with a CRT. Pacemaker is being checked in September again, so he wanted to avoid the possibility of two ops if batteries need replaced and then it turned out I needed the CRT within a few months.

I've also been seeing him since 1995, so I think that helps, he says I'm one of his more complicated patients.😂

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[Hidden]

Got a story for you. I was told in February I was to have a stress test 3 months later. Now I was told not urgent but I was hoping for may , June time any way its now nearly September and so I phoned my cardiac team who said they would chase up. Next day I get a phone call from the department that do these test and said we can book you in. Earliest was middle September. Now i know nhs is in a bit of a mess but was I forgotten or something else. Who knows

[Yumz199725 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah they did chase it up hun but they called me and I didn't know it was them and they haven't called back 😕😥. Glad your having your appointment in September hope all goes well 😉. I had to wait a year and half for a stress test 💔 few years ago 🙃.