"My experience at DGRI Cardiology falls lamentably short"

At the age of 50 a congenital heart condition which had been repaired in 1964 came back to bite me. I was in AF, had a leaking mitral valve, bundle branch block and heart failure. I was initially treated at a North West London Hospital, then when I moved back to Scotland, at Glasgow Royal Infirmary at Professor Rankine's arrythmia clinic. In 2007 I was referred back to my local hospital , Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, as it was decided my AF was permanent and I no longer benefitted from specialist care.

I had been very impressed by my treatment in London and Glasgow, but at DGRI cardiology department I was misinformed (told that there was no specialist heart failure clinic), poor communication (I never received copies of letters sent to my GP after clinic visits), and recommendations for changes in my medication showed, in opinion, that the doctor had not even accurately read my medication list as I was already on the maximum recommended dosage. On a recent visit to my GP he informed me that I had been discharged into his care by the DGRI Cardiology Department, yet this had not been discussed or mentioned at my last cardiology clinic appointment.

Six weeks ago my condition deteriorated and my BNP rose to over 500. I displayed a number of other heart failure symptoms. My GP attempted to refer me to the Specialist Heart Failure Nurses, but was told he could not do so as my last Echo bizarely did not show left side heart failure. So I am now waiting for another appointment with DGRI Cardiology.

Based on my experience of various cardiology departments throughout the country, I can say that in my experience DGRI falls lamentably short of any acceptable standard and from my experience, I feel it is not fit for purpose.