An appointment has been made for you at Wilmslow Health Centre for the an Echocardiogram.
The date and time of your appointment are shown on the text that contained the link to this page.
Click here for directions to Wilmslow Health Centre
If you cannot attend the appointment please contact 01625 547777 at least 48 hours prior to your appointment so that the appointment can be re-arranged. Failure to do so may result in your referral being rejected back to your GP and will result in a “Did Not Attend” on your record.
1. Come Prepared
You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your echo exam. You will need to remove all clothing and jewellery over your chest area.
2. Parking
Wilmslow Health Centre Car Park remains closed for the duration of the Covid-19 Pandemic for safety reasons. Please allow plenty of time to park in the adjacent streets or nearby Sainsbury’s Car Park.
Click here for directions to Wilmslow Health Centre
4. Punctuality
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, we will be running a strict appointment schedule to ensure that the risk of patients being infected by Coronavirus is reduced as much as possible. This will involve limiting the number of people allowed in to the surgery at any one time and strict social distancing within the waiting areas of the surgery.
It is essential therefore that:
you do not arrive later than your appointment time
and
you do not arrive more than 5 minutes earlier than appointment time
The unpredictable nature of medicine does occasionally result in clinicians running late and sometimes you may be requested to wait within your car until you are called into the surgery in person or by phone (please keep your mobile phone switched on).
5. Checking in
On your arrival at the health centre, please ring the bell to the right of the window to reception, outside the main doors. The receptionist team will check you in and give you further instructions.
Please ensure that you have responded to the symptoms questionnaire texted to you within 24 hours of your appointment time. If you haven’t responded to the text, you may not be allowed into the building.
Your temperature may be checked by personnel as you enter the premises.
6. Stay Safe
(a) Please wear a face mask throughout your visit to the surgery. There is a global shortage of face masks and if you are unable to get hold of one, the video below shows how you can make your own, without the need for any sewing.
(b) Use hand sanitiser. If you do not have your own, please use the dispensers in the reception area.
(c) Practice social distancing. Only use the seats marked with a green square. Do not use the seats taped off with red tape.
(d) Come alone when at all possible to reduce crowding and reduce the risk of contamination. Carers and partners will not usually be allowed into the surgery.
(d) Do not linger in reception after your appointment. Any medication or appointment queries can still to be done over the phone when you have left the building.
What can I expect during the echo-cardiogram examination?
You’ll be asked to remove any clothing covering your upper half before lying down on a bed. You may be offered a hospital gown to cover yourself during the test.
When you’re lying down, several small sticky sensors called electrodes will be attached to your chest. These will be connected to a machine that monitors your heart rhythm during the test.
A lubricating gel will be applied to your chest or directly to the ultrasound probe. You’ll be asked to lie on your left side and the probe will be moved across your chest.
The probe is attached by a cable to a nearby machine that will display and record the images produced.
You will not hear the sound waves produced by the probe, but you may hear a swishing noise during the scan. This is normal and is just the sound of the blood flow through your heart being picked up by the probe.
The whole procedure will usually take between 15 and 60 minutes, and you’ll normally be able to go home shortly afterwards.
Results
Once the echocardiogram is done, the results will be sent back to the referring GP within 2 working days.
Have your say
Wilmslow Health Centre aims to provide high quality services. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the care or service you receive, please discuss it at the time with the person concerned. It is often possible to resolve a problem quickly and easily at the time it occurs. If you wish to make a formal complaint, please ask at reception for details of the Practice Complaints Procedure or write to the practice manager.
Please tell us if you have any constructive comments and suggestions for improving our service to patients. We encourage all patients to complete our satisfaction survey so we can improve our services.