Morning all,
Is anyone waiting for a coronary angiogram? I’ve been on an urgent waiting list since early December 23 and have just found out it’ll probably be another 4 months ie 9 months if I’m lucky. I’m in the Gloucester UK area and this delay is frustrating to say the least. Am I alone?
Two years ago my cardiologist told me he would put me down for a routine angiogram, and I asked how long the waiting list was and was told 8 to 10 weeks. In the end that turned out to be 6 months. It really depends on where you are. But to be fair to the angio suite where I was seen it was like a production line of people coming and going. I doubt I was in there much more than two and a half hours total before they let me go home after my procedure, a recovery period and a chat with the cardiologist.
Thank you - if only the initial timescale was a little more accurate.
its definitely getting worse and worse!Im frightened to want to see anybody on NHS ..if I try and see GP …it’s some unqualified assistant…will try and go private..even dentist cancelled my appointment said they’re just doing private now!
Put yourself on the cancellation list.Do it now and there is a good chance you will be seen sooner. When someone drops out you can go at short notice...it could be hours or a day or two.I had an appoint a week ago when someone cancelled.Mine was in geriatology but all depts have a list..... I got 6 hours notice.Otherwise my fixed appoint. was for July!
Thank you - I’d no idea that existed!
Over the years I've several times rung up the department to ask that an appointment time be changed - and have been offered an earlier one.
Yes. and I have also gone to the hospital dept. and asked if they can change it.I am always very polite(!) and accept whichever new date they offer even if it is the next day.
Thanks I’ll try that when I’ve got my temper back under control!
Had a cardiologist appointment first week of January, had an Angiogram last week, that’s in Essex. Good news (!) was just minor scarring of the heart (Was shattered for a couple of days afterwards but that’s me).
Essex sounds really prompt. I’m pleased for you.
Hello
I was waiting nearly two years. I eventually had it done last February then had to wait another year for my operation.
Unfortunately the NHS is very overwhelmed.
Sorry to hear about your situation. After my last eco the cardiologist wrote to me and said I would have a face to face within the space of 8-12 weeks. That didn't happen so I went privately - I got an appointment within a week - I was shocked to be informed that the NHS waiting list in my area was around 18 months. It would be helpful, as you say, if they gave you an idea of how long the waiting list is. I saw an absolute gem of a cardiologist who made a plan for my ongoing treatment. It was so worth it. Not knowing where you are going only exacerbates the anxiety, which is not good for your condition. I am not knocking the NHS as they saved my life 10 years ago and I couldn't have had better treatment. I just don't know what has happened since Covid - as it has dramatically changed from GP appointments and upward. I hope you get some clarification soon.
Hi I'm from Gloucester,I got angina beginning march, admitted 1 day,got ct angiogram but I did ring department as hadn't heard,if you ring grh ask for ct dept,they might be able to help,I had mine done early April at Cheltenham
How lovely for you! I’ve already been waiting since early December listed as urgent but I don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Cardiologist is pleasant but I’d like this last test done and dusted.
Just ring angiogram dept at glos royal and ask if they have you on their list as thought you should have had appt through- I did this and got appt through post the next week
I did that on Wed which is when I found out I’d been leapfrogged. I’m drafting a letter to my consultant about it but so far I can only do ‘stamp my foot and yell’ type and that won’t help!
Email or ring pals then they are really helpful
thank you and will do
If you are down for a 'routine' angiogram and there are others who have come along deemed to be 'urgent' they will be given a higher priority and put on the waiting list ahead of you. Unfortunately that's just how it is. And that's on top of the need to give people 'emergency' angiograms who have come through the A&E route, which delays outpatient appointments even more although arguably there should be an allowance for that sort of influx based on historical norms.
I am on the urgent waiting list but now wonder if I've been 'demoted'. I'll contact Pals and consultant to ascertain. Thank you for your help
I had an NSTEMI mid December and was seen in two days. They found multiple problems and had a triple heart bypass Dec 18th. Unfortunately I know it’s frustrating having to wait but emergency treatments keep coming in so a routine angiogram have to go on a list. It’s hard as to say but at least we don’t have to find a load of money to pay for a procedure that could save your life. I lived in India for five years and even there the cost was $15,000 so it’s very expensive procedure for the NHS. Hopefully they’ll find nothing wrong or something that can be sorted with medication or a stent. Thanks for being patient. Btw my bypass went well and I’m recovering nicely
Good to hear you’re doing well because it’s scary isn’t it? So far the tests have found I need mitral and tricuspid valves repairing/replacing and I am going downhill a bit. Don’t really want to end up in A & E as emergency because that’s tougher on them than it needs to be.
When my husband was in hospital there were people stuck on the ward waiting for an angiogram. They were being repeatedly pipped to the post by someone with greater need. So I guess that is the same on the out-patient list i.e. it isn't a queue but a list and someone with more urgent need will move up the list the fastest.
Yes....... but this could go on until I become an emergency!
I agree. We all live with that possibility. My husband is an urgent case waiting for a by-pass operation for which we do not yet have a date. Every time he is a few minutes late coming home I fear he has had a heart attack. I repeat to myself, many times, how lucky we are to even be having these tests and treatments available to us. Only a generation or so ago a by-pass would have been an rare and very risky operation. Now each surgeon does 100's a year and say that although there is risk and things do go wrong this is now uncommon enough for them to feel it is an operation that will bring such an improvement to people's lives that it is worth doing.
Might be worth looking for another hospital with less of a waiting list as long as you don't mind travelling a few extra miles, as far as I know you can choose which hospital you want now not just the local one, after all this is an outpatient procedure, hopefully everything goes well, which it usually does, and you won't be needing a bed.
I'm in the Gloucester area too and the waits are truly awful. 9 months for 1st cardiology appt, quoted a follow up in 3 months which was actually over 14 months despite GP writing to ask for me to be seen urgently. I had 2 sets of tests which actually didn't take long to come through, but it took 9 months to get the results for one of them.I don't think the consultants know how long the waiting lists are; a consultant in a different specialism, I was told it would be a couple of months but it took 6 months, and even then it had been brought forward twice because I was so badly affected.
Good luck.
I'm coming to the conclusion that Gloucester is pretty awful! On the plus side I'm determined to live long enough to see it through and come out the other side, unscathed. Nothing like ambition!
In all honesty in my experience they have had problems in many areas, but in some areas they excel. My sister was admitted in March, very ill with only a 30%, at best, chance of survival. Her care in ICU was good, but the ward she's now on is a different story. Science seems to have replaced common sense, each have their place but are not replacements for each other
Fingers crossed for her.
lohengrin I had my call with chest pain nurses they put me on meds to keep me safe and and Ct was 7 months after that, then angioplasty soon after that but when I looked online it said up to 52 weeks so I felt quite lucky.
Hi there, I was told in early March that I'd be sent for an urgent CT angiogram but the waiting time would be roughly 4 months. I'm in West Sussex. I tried ringing to see if I could go on a cancellation list but they said barely anyone cancels due to being so desperate for the appointments. Understandable! It seems there are long waits everywhere, but I wasn't offered anywhere else. In the end I used my private healthcare at work, I know not everyone has this available but I thought it's one less person off the waiting NHS list who may not have insurance if I did that. I hope you are seen soon.
Hope all works out for you soon.
I would seriously consider going private if you have the means. From memory, it was around £3k, but I think you can get cheaper types. At least you will know where you stand immediately. The other thing I would say is that NHS has a more hollistic aproach compared to private, which is their strength.
I replied but to me rather than you! Sorry.
I paid for the echocardiogram but had no reply from consultant when I offered to pay for this angiogram. I’ll have another go but do you get pushed to one side if you can afford to do a bit of queue jumping?
I think it depends hospital to hospital I was urgently referred in September and was seen November. But I am in London
It really does have a post code lottery feel to it. Hope you’re well now.
It definitely is, I have been waiting for referral to community team since January so not spoke to drs or nurse since then considering I was on weekly check in before feels like being abandoned right now. But hopefully you will here soon my arteries came back perfectly clear so no evidence to why my heart is so damaged. I have not even had a heart attack.
🤞🤞for you.
I need a scan to see whether my two, 64% blockages in the l|AD have got any worse. After being an in patient last year, the acute cardiac team referred me to cardio outpatients in October and in January this year, so did my GP. I got a letter saying if I hadn't heard by April 15th, to ring them which I did. The booking team t old me they are only just now dealing with referrals that were made in June last year. If they can't even deal with their own inter department referrals, what hope is there for any others? AT that rate I reckon I should hear about my October referral in about another 4 months and another 4 months after that for the January one.
After a number of other tests my cardiologist referred me in March and I had the angiogram last week - about a month from referral. This was in Peterborough. After scanning the other comments I feel fortunate. I now need to have a stent fitted which will be in Papworth. I was advised to call after 6 weeks if I do not hear anything.
I live in the South West and was put on a list for an angiogram within 12 weeks. I was symptomatic and I waited a year. I then got sent out of area to a private clinic paid for by the NHS. It was a god send as I had 2 almost completely blocked arteries by that point and the care I got was amazing. For me the wait was definitely worth it.
Try not to lose faith and if you become symptomatic make sure you let them know. It is frustrating I know. I think in some areas where there are few hospitals with facilities to carry out angiograms the wait is always longer.
Wishing you luck. 🙂
Thank you for encouraging comments. I’m beginning to wonder about pulling out from all this stress and bother to let nature take its course. The life expectancy would be about 3 to 5 years less but I could pace myself? I’m so fed up with being mucked about.
I would say never give up. It might take time but it will happen and you need to recognise that you are worth it.
Maybe go back to your GP to try and push for an earlier date. It is bad but the louder you shout, the sooner you are heard.
Please don't give up. x
Thanks, I’m just jolly tired now. I’ll feel more optimistic in the morning I’m sure. You’re very sweet to encourage me like this.
I feel a lot better and more cheerful this morning. Thank you for your encouragement.
Aortic Valve Regurgitation, & Aortic Root Dilation. New. Waiting lists. Private Cardiologist suggestions. 
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