UK ID Cards

Hi Everyone

First time I have posted although I have been reading the forum for years.

I'm on my fourth Pacemaker installed this week. I was very pleased to move to one of the big brands from a ELA Medical device to a new Medtronic Pacemaker.

I contacted ELA Medical previously and they were not interested in providing any kind of official ID. I thought this problem would now be over going to a big brand like Medtronic but it seems that there presence in the UK is negligible. I have been all over the websites and the US contact forms are blocked from the UK and nobody from the UK responds.

I desperately need something official ID card wise. I setup computer systems for very highly secure locations and the piece of sliced up paper from the Hospital is a joke. I constantly have to pass through security points in Courts, Government building and Police Stations.

Does anyone know how I can get a response from Medtronic or know of a official Pacemaker card for Europe or the UK?

11 Comments

Told there was a significant backlog

by CJ23 - 2016-04-22 04:04:50

While one would find this hard to believe, Medtronic told me there was a 9 month backlog on the permanent cards.If you need it for work, your Dr may be able to give you their sales reps name and they might be willing to help you out. These guys want happy patients! I'm in the medical device sales field and I happen to know the sales person who sells for Medtronic. He's been very kind and helpful to me.

Indeed, Interesting

by PJinSC - 2016-04-22 12:04:16

I received a Boston Scientific device three years ago here in the US, and after about a month I received a plastic wallet card that had the name of the doctor who installed it, device number and type of device (CRT-P) and the name of the manufacturer of each of the leads. I make sure that any doctor office makes a copy when they copy my Medicare and Medicare supplemental cards. I am not aware of a "card system" requirement in the US. I figured it was standard protocol for the manufacturer.

Suggestion: when you do get your hand-written card, have it laminated.

PJ

Medtronic UK

by IAN MC - 2016-04-22 12:04:21

I, too, was unhappy with the flimsy ID card from the hospital . I contacted the Medtronic head office in Watford and received a sturdy credit -card type ID by return of post. That was in April 2015.

You need to ring their customer services team direct line which is :- 01923 212213

Best of luck

Ian

ID Card

by yorkiesman - 2016-04-22 12:04:23

Thanks Ian.

Just spoke to Customer Services they are sending me a ID card but he said it's hand written also. It seems like these medical companies are still dragging their feet in to the digital age.

I cannot believe we still don't have a UK or European ID Card system. It would make life so much easier in Courts and Airports.

Interesting !

by IAN MC - 2016-04-22 12:04:54

Mine is not hand-written , they asked me for the name of the hospital where I had it fitted and presumably got all the details from their records.

I suppose " hand-written" is OK as long as the material used doesn't fall apart after fairly limited use.

Cheers

Ian

My Medtronic ID Card

by Woodsey - 2016-04-23 02:04:03

I received my Medtronic pacemaker March 18, 2016 and had my permanent plastic wallet card within 10 days. This is in the U.S. of course. The card has the serial numbers of the device and the leads as well the name of my surgeon that implanted it and the dates. Medtronic has always been super to deal with as I have been using Medtronic insulin pumps for many years. Europe/African/Middle East Headquarters telephone number is: 41-21-802-7000. Good luck.

alternative

by Katja3 - 2016-04-25 12:04:07

Hi, in just registered, had my pacemaker 2015 installed in Spain, and now live in Argentina. But I´m native to Finland. For obvious reasons pacemaker cards are an issue to me, I travel a lot, and Argentina does not issue any cards (just weird a4 papers in spanish). Spain gave me a card after operation, which then got stolen in an unrelated incident. They cannot issue another card as Im not living in the country. Finland does not have any details of my pacemaker. Its Medtronic. I have pretty much exhausted all options, concated all reps in all countries, and absolutely no luck in any direction.
So I HAD TO make an alternative. Basically I made myself a card, took some logos, ripped them from net, cleaned the images, made some fonts and low and behold, I have now an identifal laminated copy of the original one. Its not legal, but its identical and facilitates my life crossing airport security. Apart from pacemaker, I have also artificial valve, and hencewhy I always peep in metal detectors, my chest is so full of wires that its just a nuance every time without the card. If someone knows how to get an official one, im all ears.

Boston Scientific Accolade card

by JanetB - 2016-05-10 10:05:31

I had my pacemaker installed three weeks ago at Auckland City Hospital and was given my permanent plastic card the day I left hospital ,also a full instruction handbook with contact phone numbers and emergency details.

Medtronic Travel cards

by George720 - 2017-05-27 18:28:15

Seems that in the UK, Medtronic treat the individuals that receive defibrillators or pacemakers like 2nd class citizens, they have never supplied credit card type travel cards for the recipients of either device in the UK. Now in light of heightened security, particularly at airports, it is perhaps needed now more that ever, for the cost and provision of these cards would be insignificant, compared to the cost of the device implanted.

medtronic cards in uk

by tobydell - 2018-01-10 10:20:36

How hard can it actually be, medtronic must supply a lot of devices here in the UK, I would agree the oversized paper id card is a joke if it wasn't so important I wouldnt bother carrying it

I shall try Medtronic Watford and see what happens

Medtronic UK not prepared to issue ID Cards

by rcpage - 2023-05-02 12:41:34

Phoned Medtronic 02MAY23 and they do not issue plastic ID cards any more. The 'excuse' is GDPR and holding of personal details. Poor excuse as a company the size of Medtronic will have GDPR compliance in place already. Suspect it's actually that they do not want to pay for the resources required to produce and mail the cards. That said why can they not leverage their US ID card making service? For a business that makes millions of profit from pacemakers issuing a proper plastic ID card should be an integral part of the product pack. 

Poor show but unless they get pushback from UK citizens it isn't going to change. Or maybe the answer is that UK ports of entry and exit put out a Directive that pacemaker cards are shown.. then Medtronic and all other pacemaker suppliers would be forced to deliver!

You know you're wired when...

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