"Lied to, Palmed off, Left Without Treatment:..."

I was referred directly to the heart emergency ward (3B) by my doctor due a sustained elevated pulse and palpitations that had been going on for hours, needless to say I was worried and feeling vulnerable.

I arrived at the ward and was told they had received no referral from my doctor, despite me witnessing the phone call he made, I noticed my name on a whiteboard in the ward with an arrow pointing to the acronym 'A&E'. When I questioned the sister about this I was then told my symptoms aren't serious enough and was refused admission (despite the same person denying my GP's call seconds earlier). Confused, I then left the ward as directed and called my GP but had to wait for a return call when he became free.

During that time I went to A&E and showed them the letter from my GP, they said I should be in ACU, I then went to ACU where a very helpful person on reception made some phone calls to clear up the issue (I was not expected in ACU). It transpired I was indeed booked into the heart emergency ward and they told me to go back up.

It later dawned on me that the ward had planned to palm me off to A&E all along; my name on the whiteboard and the sister contradicting them self when I questioned them.

Approximately one hour thirty minutes had passed has now passed without any medical attention and in a state of panic and confusion I decided I was getting nowhere in the royal and I left in a taxi towards Whiston hospital. During the journey my symptoms abated, exhausted I decided to divert the taxi home to rest.

I've no objection in regard to my symptoms being more appropriate for an A&E admission, I was treated with no respect by the heart emergency ward. I have never been treated so badly by the NHS, frankly I'm terrified at the prospect of being sent there again.