What to expect from your private cardiology consultation
Seeing a cardiologist can feel daunting, particularly if you are experiencing symptoms or have concerns about your heart health. My aim is to provide a thorough, individualised assessment, giving you the opportunity to explain your concerns, understand your condition and discuss the options available to you.
A consultation involves more than the time we spend talking together. I also take time to review relevant medical records and previous investigations, and to consider the most appropriate next steps for your care.
Taking time to understand your story
Every patient comes to a consultation with a different experience.
Some people are seeking advice about a new symptom or a recently diagnosed heart condition. Others have been living with chest pain, breathlessness or other symptoms for months or even years. They may already have undergone extensive investigations, seen several specialists or tried treatments without finding a satisfactory explanation or improvement.
I recognise that the journey to a specialist consultation is not always straightforward.
An important part of my consultation is listening to your story: how your symptoms began, how they have affected your life, what investigations and treatments you have already had, and what you are most concerned about.
Understanding this background is often just as important as reviewing the results of previous tests.
Do I need a referral?
You do not need a formal referral from your GP or another doctor to arrange a private consultation with me. I am happy to consider appointments from patients who wish to seek advice directly.
However, consultations are often more productive when I have access to relevant medical records, previous investigations and correspondence from other clinicians. This is particularly important if you have a complex medical history or have already undergone extensive assessment or treatment.
If possible, I would encourage you to ask your GP or existing specialist to provide a referral letter or relevant medical information before your appointment. This allows me to review your history and make the best use of our time together.
If you have private medical insurance, your insurer may require a formal referral before authorising payment for your consultation or investigations. Please check your policy and any pre-authorisation requirements before booking.
Before your appointment
If you have had previous heart investigations, it is helpful to have the results available for review. These might include ECGs, echocardiograms, CT scans, angiograms or other specialist assessments.
Please also bring a list of your current medications.
If you have not had any previous investigations, that is absolutely fine. We can discuss whether any tests would be helpful during your consultation.
What happens during the consultation?
We will begin by discussing your symptoms, medical history and any previous investigations or treatments.
I will ask about your general health, lifestyle, cardiovascular risk factors and any relevant family history. I will also carry out a cardiovascular examination where appropriate.
An ECG (a recording of the electrical activity of your heart) can usually be performed during your appointment if it is needed.
Some patients benefit from further investigations, such as an echocardiogram (an ultrasound scan of the heart), heart rhythm monitoring, CT imaging or more specialised testing. These can be arranged separately where appropriate.
Not everyone needs more tests. Where you have already undergone extensive investigations, it may be more useful to review what has been done and consider whether the results adequately explain your symptoms.
Making sense of the findings
One of my priorities is helping you understand what your investigations show, what they may not tell us, and what this means for your symptoms and future health.
This is particularly important for patients with persistent chest pain or angina despite previous investigations or treatment.
Sometimes there is a clear diagnosis and an established treatment pathway. In other cases, the situation is more complicated, and we may need to consider several possible explanations.
I will explain my assessment, discuss the available evidence and help you understand the potential benefits and limitations of any further investigations or treatments.
My approach is to make decisions together, taking account of your symptoms, circumstances and preferences.
What happens afterwards?
Following your consultation, I will prepare a written letter summarising our discussion, my assessment and any agreed recommendations. This will be shared with you and your GP.
If additional investigations or specialist treatment are appropriate, we will discuss the next steps and how these might be arranged.
Not everyone needs further treatment. Sometimes a careful review of previous investigations, a clear explanation or reassurance is the most helpful outcome.
My approach to your care
I believe that good cardiology care starts with listening carefully, understanding the individual and providing clear, evidence-based advice.
Whether you are attending with a new concern or seeking another opinion after a difficult or prolonged journey, my aim is to help you understand your heart health and make informed decisions about your care.