What this department does
Meridian's cardiology department covers the whole non-surgical spectrum: chest pain assessment, arrhythmia investigation, heart failure management, valve surveillance and pacing. Interventional work is performed at our partner cath lab, but planning, consent and every follow-up appointment happen here with the same consultant.
The department is deliberately diagnostic-heavy. An echo, an ECG and bloods are almost always done in the same visit as your first consultation, which is why so many patients leave their first appointment already knowing what is happening.
Conditions we see most
- Chest pain and suspected angina
- Palpitations, atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias
- Heart failure — diagnosis, optimisation and device therapy
- Valve disease surveillance, including post-surgical follow-up
- Hypertension that has not responded to first-line treatment
- Pre-operative cardiac risk assessment for other specialties
Diagnostics available on site
| Investigation | Duration | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| 12-lead ECG | 5 min | Immediate |
| Transthoracic echocardiogram | 35 min | Same visit |
| Exercise stress test | 45 min | Same visit |
| 24-hour / 7-day Holter monitor | Fitted in 15 min | 3 working days |
| Ambulatory blood pressure | Fitted in 10 min | 2 working days |
| Cardiac CT / calcium score | 30 min | 24 hours |
| Cardiac MRI | 60 min | 48 hours |
What your first appointment looks like
Forty-five minutes with a consultant, not a trainee. History, examination, ECG and — in the large majority of cases — an echocardiogram before you leave. If further imaging is needed, the care coordinator books it before you get to the car park.
“I came in expecting to be sent away with a form and a six-week wait. I had an echo, a diagnosis and a treatment plan in ninety minutes.”
— Marion K., cardiology patient since 2019
Referrals
You do not need a GP referral to be seen privately. If you are being referred from another Meridian department, your consultant will already have your imaging and bloods — nothing is repeated and nothing is re-typed.
