Heart checkup

[Uncle Mort]

Went to the UCL Heart hospital this morning for my usual yearly checkup. You'll be pleased to know that I'm good for another year.

Why though can't outpatient departments organise appointments better? I had a 11am appointment, arrived ten minutes early and was weighed and measured at the nurses station almost immediately and then sat down to wait to see the doctor.

An HOUR later I get my ten minutes with the doctor. Read through the test results from echo and exercise tests taken in September, a perfunctory listen to the heart and back on the street.

It's obvious that everyone gets the same appointment time and it still comes to a first come, first served basis. It's fortunate I did get there a little early.

And another thing, why are hospitals so overheated? It was like a sauna in the waiting room.

[Barman]

Went to the UCL Heart hospital this morning for my usual yearly checkup. You'll be pleased to know that I'm good for another year.

Why though can't outpatient departments organise appointments better? I had a 11am appointment, arrived ten minutes early and was weighed and measured at the nurses station almost immediately and then sat down to wait to see the doctor.

An HOUR later I get my ten minutes with the doctor. Read through the test results from echo and exercise tests taken in September, a perfunctory listen to the heart and back on the street.

It's obvious that everyone gets the same appointment time and it still comes to a first come, first served basis. It's fortunate I did get there a little early.

And another thing, why are hospitals so overheated? It was like a sauna in the waiting room.

All that stress and temperature… enough to give you a dodgy heart… 

I've never understood why these places can't organise themselves better.

[tel]

Tis typical of the way a lot of hospitals operate, although I had to go to the Royal Brompton (London) last December for my discharge papers and was seen bang on time. Don't expect this to be the case when I got to my local hospital in January for heart check - appointment time is 11:55 - what a stupid time. Hardly worth going to work before or after.

[Barman]

Tis typical of the way a lot of hospitals operate, although I had to go to the Royal Brompton (London) last December for my discharge papers and was seen bang on time. Don't expect this to be the case when I got to my local hospital in January for heart check - appointment time is 11:55 - what a stupid time. Hardly worth going to work before or after.

Especially if they give you like ten minutes to live or something… 

[tel]

Tis typical of the way a lot of hospitals operate, although I had to go to the Royal Brompton (London) last December for my discharge papers and was seen bang on time. Don't expect this to be the case when I got to my local hospital in January for heart check - appointment time is 11:55 - what a stupid time. Hardly worth going to work before or after.

Especially if they give you like ten minutes to live or something… 

Not enough time to get to a pint of Youngs, unless by ambulance maybe, only about 2 miles.

[Uncle Mort]

There always comes point were you start thinking your file hasn't been put in the doctor's tray with the others and you're not going to get called.

[Darwins Selection]

I had to go to the Royal Brompton (London) last December for my discharge

Very unpleasant. 


They make the bookings like airlines, on the assumption that there will be a certain proportion of 'no-shows'.

Trouble is, they always seem to have the proportion wrong.


Don't all you wealthy working Johnnies have private healthcare anyway? 

[tel]

Well done DS, knew someone wouldn't be able to resist.

[Uncle Mort]

Don't all you wealthy working Johnnies have private healthcare anyway? 

Private wouldn't cover pre-exisiting conditions, at least not without a hefty premium and as my problem is congenital...

[Snoopy]

Do not start me on the failings of Cardiac Outpatient Clinics OK?

In 27 visits to one such in the Centre of Excellence AKA Manchester Royal Infirmary (a 3 hour round trip for me) spread over 5 years I never once saw the consultant nominally in charge of my case and in fact saw 27 different doctors ~ not one of whom spoke understandable English. On one occasion, in the waiting area, I discussed this problem with a Hindu gentleman sat next to me. He couldn't understand them either and reckoned it was because they were, in his words, "All fucking Pakis" ~ the Gent in a turban sat opposite us, who I assumed to be a Sikh, agreed with these sentiments.

[The Moan Ranger]

Tis typical of the way a lot of hospitals operate, although I had to go to the Royal Brompton (London) last December for my discharge papers and was seen bang on time. Don't expect this to be the case when I got to my local hospital in January for heart check - appointment time is 11:55 - what a stupid time. Hardly worth going to work before or after.

Especially if they give you like ten minutes to live or something… 

Not enough time to get to a pint of Youngs, unless by ambulance maybe, only about 2 miles.

Fear not Yoda, should it come to that you should ring, text or e-mail me and I will whisk you in air-conditioned leather Lexus luxury to the hostelry for a last libation of the luscious liquor.

[tel]

So kind.

[tel]

Got no complaints about my treatment.

Monday afternoon, left work went to A&E, strainght in, wired up and pumped full of drugs, heart attack confirmed after 8 hours so into ICU.
Rest and plenty of injections till Thursday and then off to Brompton. Worlds apart - more like an hotel, everybody used their mobiles, food was from same catering company but in a different class.
Friday was angiogram and then angioplasty. Saturday went home - day of England v Germany world cup game.
Return in December was at time stated, in and out in no time.
What to expect in January? Who knows, although one of the guys in my local had no complaints about his visits.

[Nick]

I saw my BIL on SUnday. He has a broken wrist.

I asked him how he had found his NHS treatment. Response was: Excellent, very efficient, all appointments on time, never spent more than 15 minutes at a time at the hospital etc.etc

He is a Consultant Anaesthetist well known in the North West. Could that have anything to do with it?

[Snoopy]

Of course not ~ what are you suggesting?