"My Mum's treatment"

I would like to thank all the Cardiology staff at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy and the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for the care of my mother.

Mum, aged 87 years, was previously very fit and independent before she suddenly suffered from failure of one of her heart valves. This gave her acute and severe heart failure from which she nearly succumbed. Thanks to expert care at the VHK, she pulled through and was able to get home. But she was going downhill fast.

After speaking to Dr Francis, her cardiologist, she was readmitted and discussions were held with Edinburgh as to whether any surgical or percutaneous procedure could help her. She was quickly transferred to Edinburgh where investigations and discussions took place. It was recommended that she have a very new procedure called a Mitral Clip for which additional funding approval was required. But the NHS worked across the Boards to make sure that this was not a barrier and within a short space of time she had the procedure.

It was completely successful and she is now back home and trying to regain the fitness and confidence that she lost during the last couple of months. Without the expertise and knowledge of Dr Northridge and the other cardiologists in Edinburgh this would not have happened. All the family are so grateful to you all and to NHS Scotland.