Home move

[alvida15]

Hi, anyone know what the process is when you move to an area with a different health board? I had my first echocardiogram that diagnosed AS under the previous health board. My follow up echo is due January 2026 and I want to make sure that goes ahead when it is due with no delays. My new GP (receptionist) said I have to contact cardiology who did the first scan and ask to be transferred to the new health board cardiology clinic, I called twice but could only leave a voicemail with my details, that was a couple of days ago and I've heard nothing. I'm surprised this is all so vague and not just been automatic. Can anyone offer any advice?

[Lezzers]

We moved to a different health authority area but opted to stay with the original hospital and cardiologist. My husband had been with them for almost 10 years and preferred to stay with them not only because of his complex medical history but because he gets great care from them.

However my husband wanted to move to a more local hospital for his cancer checkups. His original oncologist said it was down to the GP to do the re-referral to the new hospital. However both GP & oncologist messed up on that big time! Eventually we spoke to the new hospital and they said they can only take over his care if the original oncologist asked them to, certain wording has to be used!

I would contact cardiology at the new hospital and ask them how you go about getting your care transferred to them.

Good luck 🤞

[alvida15 in reply to Lezzers]

Thank you, that is really helpful. I didn't know it was an option to stay with original cardiology clinic, I don't mind travelling an hour as it's not that often, so what I need to is make sure they have my new address. Thank you so much

[Lezzers in reply to alvida15]

You have the choice to be seen at any hospital in the country. The only thing to bear in mind is that, if a hospital is busy/popular you may have to wait longer for appts then you would have to at a less busy hospital. When you arrive for your appt the receptionist always asks if your details have changed, address etc. we told her our new address and when we saw the consultant my husband said we'd moved but wanted to stay over him & the consultant was fine with that. The only reason we waited until the appt to tell them of the change of address was because we'd arranged postal redirection for a year & my husbands cardiology appts were every 6 months so we knew we'd would have been seeing them soon.

When you tell them of your change of address, do make it clear that you wish to remain under that hospital for your care

[Digger0 in reply to alvida15]

If you want to stay with the original hospital, contact PAL's there and ask them to make sure your new address is logged on your notes. I travel from Derbyshire to Liverpool for my heart consultations - much better journey than to Manchester !

[Happyrosie]

I had a good read of the NHS website, which is not that helpful!! Surprise surprise! However, if I read it correctly there are two ways. The first one you’ve already tried, though my reading of it implies that your new docs surgery should make the arrangements .

Otherwise, you contact your local,Integrated Care Board. The following is a copy from NHS website:

“Contacting your local integrated care board

ICBs are responsible for the majority of NHS services in England. Each ICB is responsible for a specific geographical area - your ICB will be determined by where you’re registered with your GP.

ICBs have a duty to ensure patients can exercise their legal rights to choice of healthcare provider. They also have a responsibility to provide information on the choices available to patients in the NHS.

ICBs must publish their complaints procedure.

To contact your local ICB, you can:

use the Find your local integrated care board tool on the NHS website

ask your GP practice - they’ll be able to tell you how to contact your local ICB”

Hope that this helps.

[Taviterry]

I had problems with two NHS hospitals within the same health authority being unable to access each other's records of me.

[Still_Breathing]

I stayed with my heart stuff in my old address and moved my cancer stuff and everything else to my new address

[goldenbay]

We’ve just moved from North West Surrey to West Sussex and I’m on yearly monitoring for 3 specialities. I saw my Neurologist 2 days before we moved and he told me to contact the Neurology department at the local hospital but I was told by them I needed to referred by my GP, which is what I’ve done. The GP warned me that there were long waiting lists at the local hospital. My main worry was about my yearly echocardiogram for my sub aortic membrane and the GP wouldn’t refer me until I had n ECG , luckily my old hospital has sent me an appointment for my echocardiogram which I will attend. On assessment for cataract surgery last November it was discovered that I had a Choroidal Naevus which required yearly monitoring. Ophthalmology at the new hospital is very long so I’ve been referred and advised to be seen by an optician in the meantime. All my referrals have been made so now it’s a question of waiting but I think I’m well covered.

[alvida15]

Thank you so much for all the helpful advice everyone, really has helped she'd some light on it.

[EdtheDead]

We've recently moved, in fact the day we moved to a completely different part of the Country I had an appointment with my Cardiologist under my old health authority.

Explained the situation to him so he said he would contact the Cardiology team over here but would have to get a re referal from my new GP.