ECG Monitor wait time

[Fargofan]

I saw a cardiac specialist nurse in the NHS at the beginning of May who ordered a 24 hr ECG monitor for ectopic bears. I've been waiting ever since, now 6 months and have heard nothing. Is there any point in chasing this or is this normal?

[DodgyTickerMum]

Sorry to hear this. Does your G.P not offer this service? Probably a lot quicker than waiting for the hospital to swing into action.

[Fargofan in reply to DodgyTickerMum]

Unfortunately as with so many patients access to a GP here is like getting blood out of a stone. But, I will enquire. Thank you

[Sharpglo in reply to DodgyTickerMum]

Hello there, I am in NZ asking this question - do your GP’s have their own echocardiogram machines over there? Thanks

[DodgyTickerMum in reply to Sharpglo]

Hi, our local G.P surgery can fit patients with 24 / 72 hr monitors and can carry out a basic E.C.G. (Electrocardiogram), if need be. Each N.H.S trust is different - so that may differ across the U.K. If you require an Echocardiogram (ultra-sound) - you would be referred to the Cardiology Dept. at the local hospital.

[Sharpglo in reply to DodgyTickerMum]

Just to clarify, no echocardiograms held by GP’s, even hand held ones? Very good of you. Thanks

[Sharpglo in reply to Sharpglo]

Oh sorry I meant to say electrocardiogram, getting confused.

[Deejay62 in reply to Sharpglo]

Hi my GP doesn’t, they don’t even have an ECG machine so when I need anything done they send me with a letter to a&e. I think they pay them separately. Most of the hospitals have that stuff so my GP arrange appointments for none urgent tests at specific hospitals where I live.

[Blueberrylover in reply to Sharpglo]

Yes mine does I am in Wales

[Sharpglo in reply to Blueberrylover]

Hello there Blueberry, just to clarify, your GP has an echocardiogram at surgery? Thanks

[Blueberrylover in reply to Sharpglo]

Hi, they have an ECG machine there.

[Partner20 in reply to DodgyTickerMum]

Only the cardiac diagnostics department at our local hospital offers any form of cardiac monitoring, whether with a 24-hour or 7-day ecg monitor.

[Sharpglo in reply to Partner20]

Can your GP request that you have an echo without having to firstly go to a cardiologist? Thanks

[Partner20 in reply to Sharpglo]

I am honestly not sure as my partner's were done at the request of consultants following a TIA. However, I would hazard a guess that any cardiac concerns are always referred to cardiology who will arrange relevant testing. Your GP, of course, can make the referral urgent.

[marypw]

I would chase that up with the Cardiology secretary. I wouldn’t expect to wait that long at my hospital.

[Fargofan in reply to marypw]

OK, I'll call tomorrow - nothing to lose. Thank you

[Marvel3000]

I would definitely chase that up with the cardiology team although mine took this amount of time. I'm pretty sure if I didn't make call I would have been waiting longer.

[Fargofan in reply to Marvel3000]

Thank you, any explanation given as to why such a long wait time?

[Marvel3000 in reply to Fargofan]

Just that they have a very long waiting time in my area. Didn't help that 1 day after the report was sent to my GP I collapsed and woke up with a PM after 10 days in hospital. Gp had done an urgent referral to cardiology after seeing the report but even that I was told would have been 2 weeks before someone would have seen me.

[Happyrosie]

the NHS do publish waiting times for various things. Whether this procedure has a waiting time attached which is published I don’t know but you should be able to click through, starting with the NHS website and finding”waiting times”.

[Fargofan in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you, I'll investigate

[Cat04]

If you telephone your hospital's appointments booking office, they will be able to tell you whether you are on the waiting list (sometimes you can get missed), where you are on the list, whether urgent or routine, and how much longer you will have to wait for your appt. Or ring your cardiolgist's medical secretary but I always do the appts office first and then go from there depending upon the answers they give.

[Smits1980]

There’s a year wait where I live. I had some basic private health cover so got mine that way. However, prior to that I was advised to ring cardiology every once in a while on a Friday to see if they had any.

[LoveRowing]

I waited 8 months for a 3 day holter monitor and 3 months for a 24 hour one, but they were with different hospitals. My son got a 24 hour one in a couple of weeks. No logic to wait times, varies massively between areas.

[Gigi70]

morning

It does sound odd. I have had a 24 hour ECG in August from my local hospital it was followed by a stress echo and now another 48hour ecg monitor all this was booked in a matter of days. I am in London NHS only. My results have been too many missed or ectopic beats. I have been prescribed beta blockers.

Keep calling for your result and follow up appointment. If you can’t get this go to the PALS office. Make a fuss it’s the only way to proceed as has always been the case but if you are used to good health you may not have learned this.

Best of luck

Michèle

[Quesswho]

My husband is also waiting for his ECG monitor. His appointment came through within 5weeks and will be fitted in 8 weeks. We live in the South East. Personally I would contact the person who said they would arrange.❤

[L8Again]

We gave up waiting for a holter monitor in Shropshire. Just another example of why the NHS is in such drastic and urgent need of change. These are not expensive or complex devices.

We booked a14 day holter monitor from a private cardiology service. The device was delivered by courier. You fit it yourself (no NHS healthcare worker required). The device was collected by courier 2 weeks later and the results were with my wife’s cardiologist 5 days later (all interpreted by AI). This led to the fitting of an ILR.

A month later, the ILR picked up what we already knew. My wife was suffering heat stoppages of between 20 and 40 secs (plus many tens of thousands of ectopic beats; stage 1 heart block and a with one brief period of paroxysmal AF). She was then fitted with a 2 lead pacemaker. Had we not taken the action that we did then, best case, we would still be waiting: worst case, my wife may well have died.

[Quesswho in reply to L8Again]

My husband has to sign a cardiac monitor loan if not returned he will be liable and will be billed for a replacement. He also has to return it to the hospital.

[wischo in reply to Quesswho]

Thats normal and reasonable I would think, the number of people that drop it back hours late depriving other people the chance is quite large.

[Tonypredarmy]

I had the basic 24 hour monitor fitted by the NHS but also my employer paid for the 7 day Holter monitor provided by BUPA. The results of the BUPA monitoring were available within just over a week when my consultant shared the results with me.

I was eventually called to see a cardio nurse to discuss my NHS 24 hour monitor almost 10 months after I'd had it fitted (I'd actually forgot about it).

I would certainly chase as there is nothing lost but if you are still having symptoms I would also look into having it done privately if you can afford it. They start at around £325 including follow up consultation.

[Flyinghaggis]

I know this probably won’t be helpful for everyone already with a condition, but luckily I had private healthcare and when I left hospital after my HA I called them ,within a week I had seen a private cardio consultant, had a mobile ECG monitor for a week and an MRI on my heart booked for two weeks time. Time after a HA etc is precious and waiting for the NHS to do anything I feel is unnerving and potentially dangerous. I live in NI and the NHS here is a disaster. If you can afford it private healthcare is the way forward unfortunately.

[Spanielrunner]

Definitely chase it! Either contact the nurse or the cardiology secretary - you shouldn’t have to wait this long. My GP offers this service so mine was arranged in the community and I waited about a month. The second one was done by cardiology and I waited about 2 months for that one. 6 months is ridiculous!

[kkatz]

Certainly chase up . Allways do it nicely & you could just get very helpful responses.Could be worth getting one done privately ,spire or nuffield.£200 or 300 .You still need referral from GP.

[blackcatluck3]

If it was me I’d ask my GP if they’ve heard anything about the referral. I got referred in July/August for a 24 hour heart ecg, got it done in early September, consultant cardiologist wanted a 3 day one and just had that done (took machine back to heart unit yesterday) and have the appointment with consultant later this morning x

[MWIC]

Yes absolutely chase it and chase it - sad reality of how it is and I’ve literally had to chase almost everything over the last few years

[Alfie33]

I'm exactly the same, add mine on the 11th August. I message them every couple of wks but the say they haven't received any results yet

[GJHD]

CHASE IT UP!!

[greenba]

My Cardiologist told me it would be 10 months wait, and she was right it took exactly 10 months.! Good luck with yours.

[NLGA]

email PALS

I had a 3 month wait Pals helped got me the appointment in 2-3 weeks

[momander]

I think 6 months seems a wee bit too long so maybe I would chase this up. Would the hospital have s3nt the results to your GP? Perhaps a wee call to them might help? Worth a try

[Marymara]

I am waiting also, why not chase it, what's the harm.

[Qualipop]

I had to wait 3 months for a holter monitor as the hospital only has a limited number of machines but you h ave waited much too long. Chase it up or ask your GP to contact the hospital.

[HamishArthur]

Hello,

Definitely chase this up or contact your Doctor to expedite for you.

Just for the record I had an angiogram on 14th July and my appoint to see Cardiology albeit urgent is not until the 21st November 2024, so I totally understand how you must be feeling.

Please keep chasing.

Kind Regards

[Partner20]

It's always worth ringing any department if you think a promised appointment or investigative procedure seems to be taking a long time to materialise. Provided you can actually get hold of someone to talk to, that is!This year my partner had several weeks wait, first for a 24-hour ecg monitor, then another wait for a 7-day one. Another few weeks until a consultant appointment, followed by several more weeks until an ILR was fitted. It was worrying having to wait each time between appointments and procedures.

[Breesha]

the new ECG is a do it yourself pack , which you attach , remove and then post off to a diagnostic lab , so there should be no waiting ,

[Fargofan]

I intended to call and chase this on Tuesday but forgot. I was out all day today and on the way home on the train received a call, it was the hospital asking me to to attend on Friday to collect my ECG monitor! The irony after all this time - but I'm happy