What happens at a private cardiologist appointment? A step-by-step guide

11 minute read

Medically reviewed by Dr Ravi Assomull, Consultant Cardiologist – July 2026

Key takeaways

• A private cardiology consultation is unhurried - up to an hour - and combines a detailed history, an examination and, in most cases, same-day tests such as an ECG and echocardiogram.
• You don't need a GP referral to book, and appointments at our London clinic are typically available the next working day.
• Bring your medication list, any previous test results and your questions - preparation makes the appointment work harder for you.
• The initial consultation is £325, follow-ups are £275, and all major private medical insurers are accepted.

Most people see a cardiologist for the first time at a moment when they are already worried - about chest pain, palpitations, a blood pressure reading, or a relative's diagnosis. Not knowing what the appointment itself involves adds a second layer of anxiety that is entirely avoidable.

This guide walks through a private cardiology appointment from the moment you book to the moment you leave with a plan: what happens, in what order, what it costs, and how to get the most out of it. It reflects exactly how consultations run with Dr Ravi Assomull at 68 Harley Street, but the structure is broadly what you should expect from any good private cardiologist in London.

Before the appointment

Booking - no referral needed

You can book directly, without a GP referral. Many patients are surprised by this; the private system allows self-referral, and it is one of the main reasons people choose it when symptoms are worrying them. That said, if you do have a GP referral letter or recent test results, bring them - they add valuable history and prevent duplicated tests. One practical note: some private medical insurers require a GP or specialist referral before they authorise cover, so if you plan to claim, check your policy first. Self-paying patients can simply book.

Appointments are usually available the next working day, and almost always within the same week. If your symptoms feel urgent - new chest pain, blackouts, rapid palpitations - say so when you call 020 3576 2885; genuinely urgent cases are prioritised. And if you're unsure whether your symptoms warrant an appointment at all, our guide to when to see a cardiologist covers the twelve signs that matter.

What to bring

• A list of your medications - names and doses, including supplements. A photo of the packets works.
• Previous test results - ECGs, blood tests, scan reports, hospital letters, even smartwatch rhythm recordings. All of it is useful.
• Your blood pressure diary, if you monitor at home (our home monitoring guide shows how to record readings properly).
• Your family history - ask relatives beforehand if you can. Age of any heart attacks, strokes or sudden deaths in the family genuinely changes risk calculations.
• Your questions, written down. Consultations are unhurried, but a written list means nothing is forgotten.
• Insurance details - policy number and authorisation code if your insurer requires pre-authorisation.

How to prepare on the day

Wear a top you can remove easily for the examination and any tests - electrodes go on the chest for an ECG, and an echocardiogram needs access to the chest wall. Avoid heavy caffeine immediately beforehand if palpitations are your issue (it can be useful to discuss your normal intake honestly instead). Otherwise, eat and take your medications as normal unless you have been told otherwise when booking - some specific tests, such as a CT coronary angiogram, come with their own preparation instructions, but a standard consultation does not.

The consultation itself

Step 1: The conversation (the most important test of all)

The appointment starts with a detailed history, and it is worth saying plainly: this conversation is the single most powerful diagnostic tool in cardiology. The character of a chest pain, what brings a palpitation on and how it stops, whether breathlessness came on over weeks or years - these details often point to the diagnosis before any machine is switched on.

Expect questions about your symptoms (when they started, what triggers them, how long they last), your medical history, medications, smoking and alcohol, exercise, sleep, stress, and your family's heart history. Nothing is asked idly; each answer moves the diagnostic needle. This part of the appointment is also your time - a good consultant wants to hear the story in your words, not a checklist.

Step 2: The examination

A focused cardiovascular examination follows: listening to your heart for murmurs and rhythm, listening to your lungs, checking your pulses at several points, measuring blood pressure properly (both arms where indicated), and looking for subtler signs - fluid at the ankles, changes in the neck veins - that tell us how the heart is coping.

Step 3: Same-day tests

One of the defining advantages of a well-equipped private clinic is that core diagnostics happen at the same visit, not weeks later:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) - ten electrodes, five minutes, a live snapshot of your heart's electrical activity. Almost every new patient has one.
• Echocardiogram - an ultrasound scan of the heart showing its chambers, pumping strength and all four valves in real time. Painless, radiation-free, around 30-40 minutes when needed.
• Blood tests - cholesterol profile (including lipoprotein(a) where appropriate), kidney and thyroid function, diabetes screening and cardiac markers as indicated, with point-of-care diagnostics giving some results within minutes.

Depending on your symptoms, further tests may be arranged rather than performed on the day - a 24-hour blood pressure monitor or ambulatory ECG you wear at home, an exercise ECG or stress echocardiogram to see the heart under load, or advanced imaging such as a cardiac MRI. Each is only ordered if it will genuinely change the plan.

Step 4: Diagnosis and plan - before you leave

The appointment ends with an explanation, in plain language, of what has been found and what it means. Where same-day tests give the answer - and they very often do - you leave with a diagnosis and a written plan: lifestyle changes, medication if needed, further tests if genuinely indicated, and a clear understanding of what happens next. A letter summarising everything is sent to you and, with your consent, to your GP so your NHS record stays complete.

What happens after the appointment?

That depends entirely on what was found:

• All clear: for many patients the outcome is reassurance backed by evidence - often the most valuable result there is. Some choose an annual heart health check thereafter, particularly with a strong family history.
• A manageable condition: problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or stable ectopic heartbeats are typically managed with medication and lifestyle change, reviewed at a £275 follow-up.
• A condition needing treatment: where something more significant is found - atrial fibrillation, coronary disease, a valve problem - Dr Assomull explains every option and coordinates next steps, whether that is a procedure such as catheter ablation, cardioversion or angioplasty and stenting, or specialist referral. You are never left holding a diagnosis without a plan.

How much does it all cost?

Transparent pricing matters, so here it is:

• Initial consultation: £325 (up to an hour with the consultant)
• Follow-up consultation: £275
• Diagnostic tests: priced individually - see the fees page for current prices and packages

Insured? All major private medical insurers are accepted. Obtain pre-authorisation before your visit and bring your membership and authorisation numbers; the clinic can then usually bill the insurer directly. Self-paying? You'll be quoted clearly before anything is done - no surprises. For a deeper breakdown of what drives the numbers, read our guide to how much a private cardiologist costs.

Where the appointment happens

Consultations take place at 68 Harley Street - London's medical district - a short walk from Oxford Circus, Bond Street and Regent's Park underground stations. The clinic is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 7:00pm, with early-evening slots that make it realistic to be seen without taking a day off work. Everything described above - consultation, ECG, echocardiogram, blood tests - happens under one roof.

Common worries before a first appointment - answered honestly

After thousands of first consultations, the same unspoken anxieties come up again and again. Naming them helps:

• "What if they find something?" Then you will know about it at the earliest, most treatable moment - which is the entire point. Most cardiac conditions found at an outpatient consultation are managed with medication and lifestyle measures, not surgery. And statistically, the most common outcome of a first assessment is reassurance backed by normal tests.
• "What if they find nothing and I've wasted the fee?" A normal ECG, a normal echocardiogram and a clean risk profile are not "nothing" - they are a documented baseline, an answer to the question that has been costing you sleep, and the evidence that lets you exercise, travel and live without a background hum of worry.
• "My blood pressure always spikes at appointments." White coat effect is real, common and expected - it is precisely why we interpret clinic readings alongside home diaries and, where needed, a 24-hour monitor that measures you in your real life rather than in a consulting room.
• "I'm embarrassed about my lifestyle." A consultation is a judgement-free zone by professional necessity: accurate answers about smoking, drinking and exercise change dose calculations and risk scores. Cardiologists are in the business of arithmetic, not disapproval.
• "Will I be pushed into tests I don't need?" You will be told what each test is for, what it costs and what would change as a result - and nothing happens without your agreement. A test that wouldn't change the plan doesn't get ordered.

Five ways to make the hour work hardest

1. Lead with the thing you're most afraid of. Patients often save the real worry - "my father died at 52" - for the final five minutes. Open with it; the whole consultation then aims at the right target.
2. Describe symptoms in your own words, not in borrowed medical language. "It feels like a fish flapping behind my ribs for twenty seconds after coffee" is diagnostically richer than "I have palpitations".
3. Be precise about exertion. "Breathless on hills" means little; "I now stop halfway up the stairs I climbed without thinking a year ago" locates you exactly on the scale cardiologists use.
4. Bring the numbers. Home blood pressure diary, watch recordings, old cholesterol results - objective data compresses the diagnostic timeline, sometimes by weeks.
5. Ask the closing questions: What do you think is going on? What would change that view? What should I do if symptoms change before the follow-up? The answers are your safety net between appointments.

How follow-up actually works

Follow-up is tailored to findings, not sold by default. Where tests are all normal, there may be nothing to follow up at all - or a single results call. Where medication is started (for blood pressure, say, or cholesterol), a follow-up at six to twelve weeks checks the dose is right and the side-effect profile is clean, then reviews stretch out to annual. Rhythm patients reviewing a monitor result usually need one focused appointment to agree the plan. Between appointments you are not on your own: if symptoms change, you call, and urgent concerns are seen quickly - continuity with one named consultant means the person you speak to already knows your case. Every follow-up is £275, and none is booked without a reason you understand and agree with.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a private cardiologist appointment take?

Allow up to an hour for the initial consultation itself. If an echocardiogram or additional tests are done on the day, plan for around 90 minutes to two hours in total - time well spent, since most patients leave with answers rather than a list of future appointments.

Will I definitely get test results on the day?

ECG and echocardiogram findings are explained on the day. Most blood tests return within 24-48 hours (some point-of-care results are immediate), and monitor recordings are reported once the wear period ends. Every result is followed by a clear explanation - not a letter full of jargon.

Can I bring someone with me?

Yes, and it is often a good idea. Two sets of ears remember more, and a partner or relative can add details about symptoms - snoring, breathlessness on walks, episodes you've minimised - that you might not mention yourself.

What should I wear?

Comfortable clothing with a top that is easy to remove, since ECG electrodes and echocardiogram probes need access to the chest. Avoid one-piece outfits and heavy jewellery around the neck and chest.

Is a private consultation different from an NHS one?

The medicine is the same; the logistics differ - speed of access, appointment length, same-day testing and continuity with one named consultant. We've written an honest comparison of private versus NHS cardiology covering exactly this question, including when the NHS route is the right choice.

Ready when you are

An unexplained symptom rarely gets less worrying with time - but it very often gets less worrying with answers. If your heart has been on your mind, book an appointment at 68 Harley Street - typically available the next working day - or call 020 3576 2885 and the team will find a time that works around you.