MK Community Cardio-Vascular Centre
25 Witham Court - Tweed Drive - Bletchley - MK3 7QU
Tel: 01908 272700

For Patients

How to organise your appointment?

A doctor, nurse or other healthcare professionals may advise you that you need a referral for further tests and assessments or advice. This may be done through a letter or fax to our service, or through choose and book

On the choose and book sheets given to you by your healthcare professional there will be a telephone number to ring us to organise your appointment. You need to quote your reference number and password, for us to be able to access your referral detail. Then we can make a mutually appropriate appointment.

It is advised that you contact us as soon as you have this printed sheet from your health care professional. You may be asked to leave a message and we will contact you back as soon as feasible. Please let us know the best way of contacting you.

How to get the most from your visit?

You will receive confirmation on your appointment time and date and a map of our location as well as advice sheets regarding the tests that you may have during your appointment. Please bring a printed list of your current medications and information regarding your past medical history and allergies.

Please inform us if you have any special needs at the time you make the appointment and we will do our best to accommodate your personal requirements.

You may have a carer, relative or a friend with you for support during the visit if you wish to do so. Please arrive in good time before your appointment and allow up to one hour of attendance for various tests.

Please report to the reception at the ground floor to check in for your appointment. Cardiology is on the first floor where there is a place for you to wait to be called. You may use our lift and wheelchair if required.

Who will I see?

You are quite likely to see a health care assistant or a nurse in the first instance for some basic tests that include taking your height and weight, having a blood pressure measurement and performing an ECG trace on your heart.

The healthcare professional may fit you with an appropriate monitor for blood pressure or heart rhythm study if this was planned. The healthcare assistant or nurse might take a blood sample prior to you seeing the doctor (see under test headings for information which is on the home screen).

What happens during the consultation?

The doctor will listen to your history and concerns. He or she may clarify any issues or queries, and then you will be examined.

If necessary, further tests may be carried out such as a heart ultrasound scan examination (echocardiogram). 

The results of the examination and tests will be discussed once available. 

Further analysis and a report will subsequently be complied and sent to your healthcare professional (GP or nurse).

You will also receive a copy of this report yourself. We will always endeavour to write a summary in plain English with the findings and future plans.

Please do not be worried about technical aspects of the report. These can be discussed with your doctor or with us if you wish to do so.

Follow Up

If you have been advised that you will have further tests or have a follow up appointment we will advise you on the likely waiting time or date for the tests. 

Please contact us on the number provided if there is any change in your availability or any delays.

Feedback

We always aim at providing the highest standards of care and to ensure your safety and comfort. 

We would appreciate your feedback on what went well during your time with us and areas that we could make better, then we will do our best to address as soon as feasible.

Complaints

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the personnel working in this practice, please let us know.  We operate a practice complaint procedure as part of an NHS complaints system, which meets national criteria.

How to complain