4 months and still awaiting NHS ECHO results?

[Beccamiles]

Is this too long? I know there is a 13 week wait but nearly 4 months now. I would have thought I would have had a letter by now. Thoughts please?

[10gingercats]

You will have to ring the appropriate dept....and or your Gp. If still no result go along to the dept in person where the echo was done and ask for the result or why you have not heard. Do not sit back and wait for someone to get in touch. The depts are so overworked you will have to take your own action.This what I am doing and have been doing this for at least a year.

[Beccamiles in reply to 10gingercats]

I've been having tests since May and all feedback/letters came back in reasonable time frame. This one hasn't and it's getting me a bit worried. I know won't help. I'm not one for ringing but I guess I will have to.

[RF260 in reply to Beccamiles]

Hi, do you have the NHS APP ? If that is something you could access and if your GP requested the test then the report will be on the APP. My Echo was early November and an image of the report was within test results on the APP in less than a week. So I've read it, done a bit of googling and got an understanding of it. GP has never contacted me but I do have a cardiologist referral next week when I assume will be discussed. I obviously understand that Apps are not for everyone but once set up it has many uses including online consultation, ordering prescriptions etc.

[Beccamiles in reply to RF260]

I was in hospital and got referred straight from there. 14 week wait for a GP appointment at the moment. Yes, I have the NHS app but nothing on there. I keep checking it as our post hasn't been turning up on time. Keep thinking they have sent the letter but didn't get delivered.

[Murderfan58]

Have you got the NHS app on your phone. My results from latest tests appeared on there before getting a letter and seeing my GP . So I was armed with questions I needed answering .

[sandandkev]

My only reply is if needed they would get you in sooner

[AuntyEdna]

Ditto above , I called and was told it’s in “ his admin folder waiting for approval “ 🤷🏻‍♀️ interpretation in his inbox and not looked at it at all ??that was a month ago still no letter .

If you don’t hassle they ignor you !! I hope I hear soon but who knows .

Good luck ☺️

[DWizza]

Are you under a consultant that can reviewing the results ? I would contact the consultant’s secretary if you are , phone/email details usually on a letter or hospital website for the consultant.

[Beccamiles in reply to DWizza]

Update below 👇

[Isobel1]

You will have to become the sort of person who rings up. In my experience with my heart problem and the NHS , unless you hassle them on occasions, you get nowhere. Have you got a Cardiologist ? if so, ring their secretary. If this gets you nowhere, ring PALS, your hospital's patient support group.

[Beccamiles in reply to Isobel1]

Update below 👇

[paintbook]

I too waited for 4 months to get result of echocardiogram, my GP didn't receive it at all. secretary seemingly cannot do much, PALS can be very helpful. Times are tough that's for sure, nothing is the same now. But this site does help.

[Barre01]

The medic who carried out my last echo said that I would hear quickly if there was a problem. A previous echo took about this length of time, couldn’t get to speak to my assigned Advanced Nurse so resorted to a good old fashioned letter which did the trick.

[FestivalVibes]

You will have access to your Heath Record via your NHS log in, go to your hospitals web page and look for Patient Portal or something similar, if you are having problems contact PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) As others have said on here, sadly with our NHS as it is, you’ll have check up on your own results and contact your GP / Hospital direct. I’ve had very similar experiences with my GP, but the cardiology dept at my local hospital seems a little more on the ball. Take care and hope that your results are ok .

[Happyrosie in reply to FestivalVibes]

Just to say, the NHS app is useful but only when the surgery gets its software updated to fit, AND (in my area) the hospital has to get your agreement. So in my case I’ve agreed to hospital letters coming through the NHS app but my husband hasn’t been asked for his agreement. thus letters, physical letters, go to the surgery with physical copy to him.

[goooders]

It’s nothing to do with overwork, it’s a cultural malaise. Having seen response times in both the private sector and the nhs, the difference is jaw dropping I’m still waiting for the results of my angiogram weeks later although the discharge notes show an 80% blockage in the LDA. I need an appointment to discuss it which is March. Unless you have a heart attack there really isn’t a service.

[Positif]

I got my results in two weeks, letter arrived from my NHS Consultant which was very reassuring Please ring and chase your results don't sit and wait and worry

[Beccamiles in reply to Positif]

Update below 👇

[Anothernewbie]

I have only been waiting 4 weeks for mine. However, I have a good idea what it will say because I was told at the end of the procedure. I rang the department last week and the secretary said the report was in, and she would get it sent out "soon". I asked if it could be hurried because I need it for travel insurance. Reply was "I will try".

Might be an idea if you rang the department. There is always the possibility that the letter has been sent, and not has arrived.

[Beccamiles in reply to Anothernewbie]

My reply below 👇

[Lowerfield_no_more]

I am afraid as soon as you have given our 'wonderful' NHS service a reasonable time span to get back with test results on anything and they are not available to you, you have to get on to them. In your case I would talk to the cardiology team medical secretary who will be able to tell you the status but will notbe able give you a medical opinion. Unfortunately it seems commonplace for results to go missing or be subject to unreasonable delays, so the only thing you can do is to keep chasing, which is what I do. As for the NHS app all that shows for me is my GP record and any test results at the hospital are not available for me to view.

[Beccamiles in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

My reply below 👇

[Marionfromhappydays]

Your GP should be able to get access to the hospital electronic system which holds tests results and read the report.

7 weeks after my echo I still had not heard (was told it would be a 4 week wait) messaged my GP who read out my report on phone to me & they then submitted a query to hospital cardiologist as GP couldn't advise on some things.

Found out I had been forgotten about and never would have had the report neither would my GP.

I always go by squeaky wheel gets the oil, I always now raise things with medics if things don't come through in expected times.

I was a hospital scientist working in labs and it's common place for people to chase results.

[Beccamiles]

I rang up and with a very confused receptionist told me that my results weren't there. They were out of clinic, the Dr who ordered the ECHO wasn't my Cardiologist name and the results are with another Dr not my Cardiologist whom booked the ECHO for me. I'm so confused! Receptionist too! She didn't know the Dr and he isn't registered in clinic. So she said she'll speak with my Cardiologist and get the results sent out by him. It was all very confusing on the phone, as to why another Dr booked the ECHO and had the results sent to him. My cardiologist said he was booking the ECHO and did book the other tests and all results went through him. When I had the ECHO the nurse said it all gets sent to your consultant to review and he'll be in touch. Which isn't the case.

[Lowerfield_no_more in reply to Beccamiles]

It does sound confusing. If i were you I would be ringing up at the end of next week to find out what progress had been made, and keep ringing at regular intervals until you get what you want. Unfortunately sometimes you do have to make a nuisance of yourself but if you dont keep the pressure up no-one else will. And it isn't your fault this has happened, someone in the NHS system hasn't done their job properly so don't feel guilty about ringing. But if nothing has been resolved by the New Year get the hospital PALS team to help, and/or make a formal complaint to the hospital which often helps get a result.

[Isobel1]

Sounds like the usual muddle 🙄 Well hopefully you are getting somewhere at last and will soon get your results 👍

[Beccamiles in reply to Isobel1]

Does this seem right though? I have no idea who this other Dr is nor seen them in clinic. Apparently not a Cardiologist. I have 1 cardiologist consultant who has been seeing me since June. All tests, meetings, etc have been through him and he ordered the ECHO. So where does this other Dr come into it? Have I been transferred to another consultant? I thought I'd have to give consent before being transferred.

[PadThaiNoodles in reply to Beccamiles]

If you were referred as an inpatient the results might go back to whoever the SHO on the ward was at the time. I imagine they’re supposed to then forward the results to your cardiologist, but it looks like the ball was dropped there.

[Isobel1 in reply to Beccamiles]

It doesn't seem right, as someone else has suggested, it could be a Doctor on the ward where you were. I hope you get to the bottom of it .

[Beccamiles in reply to Isobel1]

Thanks both. I was an impatient when referred but was discharged the day after, so all tests have been as an outpatient. All confusing really. I would have thought it was the Cardiologist who'd take over. I had 4 Drs look at me when I was in hospital, so russian roulette to which one it is.

[Isobel1 in reply to Beccamiles]

It's really frustrating for you, but I'm afraid you'll have to keep pestering them until they find you results.