"My wife’s problem swallowing food"

In December 2018 my wife got a bit of food stuck in her throat, this had happened about 18 months previously, after phoning NHS24 we were directed to A&E at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where we were seen in about an hour, the doctor allowed time for the food to slip down using a fizzy drink before checking her over and discharging us. 

Too frightened to try food on the next day my wife tried a piece of meringue two days later, this too got stuck and on consulting NHS24 again we made our way to A&E again. Being seen after just short of 4 hours we were rather dismissively discharged and told to see our GP.

We got an appointment with our GP later in the week and stated that my wife had not eaten for 8 days and required urgent treatment. Our GP said there was not a lot she could do immediately but would request an urgent endoscopy referral which should take no more than 2 weeks. We protested that my wife would be without food for 22 days by that stage but were told that as she could still drink fluid it did not merit an in-patient referral.

On Saturday we received the referral letter from the New Victoria Hospital Endoscopy department stating our wait would be 21 weeks. Totally desperate I contacted the waiting list co-ordination team to enquiry about our “urgent” referral. Although apologetic the best they could do was going to be a 10 week wait. 

Not eating any food my wife could have died from around 45-50 days she was already at 22 days they were expecting us to wait at least 90 days.

I phoned our GP on Monday to try to move things on where she said that because she had not seen my wife personally on this day she couldn’t give us an in-patient referral and to try A&E again.

A&E were not much help so we left, went directly to our GP surgery to see our doctor in order to get the in-patient referral. Eventually our GP in Rutherglen who gave us the referral we needed.

My wife was finally admitted (over three weeks without food having lost a stone in weight) at 1700. 

All the staff in Acute Receiving admission were brilliant, my wife’s blood pressure crashed and she fainted whilst they were trying to take blood, they immediately were into action and managed to bring her round and stabilised her. 

Once on the ward (Acute Receiving 5) the staff were amazing, fully understanding and compassionate (although shocked at the rigmarole we had to go through to get to this stage). The care given was excellent and we cannot praise them highly enough.

During the night and on the following afternoon my wife had the endoscopic procedures she needed and would like to thank the doctor especially. 

Now recovering at home with a plan of action to sort the problem we would like to show out appreciation to everyone who helped. The NHS staff are world class and cannot be faulted for their dedication in what can be trying situations they face.