Pacing is about helping your heart to beat regularly. A Pacemaker is a small device which is put inside your body to help your heart to beat regularly.
This page is about the team that helps patients with their Pacemaker.
We are a team of Cardiac Physiologists based in the Cardio-Respiratory Department.
We assist the doctors in implanting pacemakers and other cardiac rhythm management devices as well as seeing patients who have a pacemaker or other cardiac device in our clinic.
Patients who are having symptoms due to low heart rates or other cardiac rhythm problems. Some patients who have symptoms that are under investigation can also have an implantable loop recorder fitted to investigate these symptoms further.
If you require a pacemaker or loop recorder implant the you will be referred from your Consultant and we will arrange to see you in clinic to discuss this before the implant goes ahead. You will then attend our cardiac day ward before being taken to our interventional theatre where the implant will take place. Almost all pacemaker and loop recorder implants are day case procedures only and you should be home by early evening in most cases.
Once you have a pacemaker or loop recorder implanted we will see you routinely in clinic within the Cardio-Respiratory department to check the device and ensure that everything is as it should be. These appointments usually take no longer than 20 minutes.
Once you have a pacemaker is implanted you will be under our care for life as pacemakers need to be checked routinely at regular intervals, usually once a year. After a number of years the battery longevity of your pacemaker will come towards the end and we will need to give you a new pacemaker in a similar procedure to your original pacemaker implant. Again this will be a day procedure only in most cases.
An implantable loop recorder usually remains in place until the cause of your symptoms become clear, or the battery of the device comes to an end (usually after ~3 years). We will see you at 3 monthly intervals to review any episodes on the device and will take the device out when needed.
There are 8 Cardiac Physiologists in the Pacing team within the Cardio-Respiratory Department and we are supported and we provide support for our Device Specialist Cardiac Consultants - Dr Pyatt, Dr Hobbs, and Dr Albouaini.
Our waiting area is a clean and airy space situated close to most test rooms a short distance from the main entrance.
There is a cold water fountain within the waiting area along with male, female and disabled toilets which are situated within the department.
There is a television screen that will advise on waiting times as well as national news and other Trust information.
Patient information leaflets are available upon request.
Pacing Department, Cardio-Respiratory,
Royal Liverpool Hospital,
Prescot Street,
Liverpool, L7 8XP
Tel: 0151 706 3187
On entering the hospital from the main entrance on Prescot Street, walk to the far end of the main atrium and take the corridor to the right (near the big red post box). You will pass the Haematology clinic to your right side before coming out near the WRVS cafeteria. Turn right here and you will see the signage for the department which is situated alongside G clinic and opposite the vascular clinic. Our reception desk is situated ahead of you on the left as you enter the department.