"Left feeling unheard and dismissed"

I recently attended Cardiology at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline, following a car crash in September and a previous possible heart attack or cardiac event in 2023.

I had to push a locum GP hard just to get the referral, but the practice have since responded well to my ongoing concerns.

I was met by a member of staff who asked if we’d met before — it turned out they'd carried out an ECG on me at another hospital. Unfortunately, little had changed since that day. I had prepared a written summary of the events leading to the referral, but they weren't interested in reading it.

They attached the pads, ran the ECG, then ripped them off and said -  That’s you done, I’ll send the result electronically to your GP — byebye, and walked out of the room.

I left feeling completely dismissed — exactly as I had previously. My concern is that a single ECG is largely meaningless, as my heart rhythm issues are intermittent and don’t always show during a short test. I wasn’t given a chance to discuss my symptoms, history, or how I’ve been feeling since the crash. Their comment that they'll go on what the doctor has sent through left me feeling that this was simply a tick-box appointment, not meaningful care.

I’m deeply disappointed that despite ongoing issues and significant anxiety, I’ve once again been left feeling unheard and dismissed.

I’m sharing this feedback in the hope that it helps improve communication and patient engagement within cardiology. Even a brief acknowledgment of patient concerns or a few extra minutes of explanation can make a huge difference to people who are anxious or recovering from trauma. I truly appreciate the pressures NHS staff are under, but small changes in approach could prevent others from leaving feeling the way I did.