"Misled in unprofessional, worst hospital ..."

At my GP's request, Salford Royal Hospital sent me an appointment for a consultation in the Cardiology Clinic, but I was told to go to Chest Clinic on arrival. This was a surprise as the amateurish appointment letter gave no reference to Chest Clinic, but specifically said Cardiology clinic.

I was ushered in to see a person who muttered their name, when I asked them, and I assumed I would at least be speaking to a doctor, if not a consultant. I felt they had misled me because, concerned about the consultation, I checked them up on the Internet and found they were merely a nurse practitioner. At no time did they explain that.

I had to do an Exercise test with which I had no problems and did not need to do a follow-up test with an injection. I was shocked when this person whom I assumed was a doctor or consultant, then said. despite the test being fine, they were going to diagnose me with an illness on my vague symptoms which could have been caused by other problems and prescribe 2 lots of medication.

I told them that I wanted future care to be at the Manchester Cardiac Centre.

I was very distressed by this 'consultation' which I believed would be with a consultant or a doctor at the very least. I believe this person was misrepresented to me, as they did not explain that they were a nurse practitioner. In the discussion we had, I felt something wasn't right and I wasn't confident that this was the right way to diagnose a disease. This is why I checked up on them and feel misled and totally lacking confidence in the outcome today.

I'm sure my own GP, a doctor, sent me to Salford Royal, expecting me to see a specialist consultant or at least a specialist doctor, not a person who did not explain that they were a nurse practitioner. It is both unprofessional and misleading behaviour.

C.Taylor