"The least we can expect is for Doctors to be well prepared"

Forth Valley Royal Hospital Cardiology unit should be part of my multi discipline team looking after me following my diagnosis of severe heart Failure. I am also seeing face to face the national heart failure service in Glasgow however as I understand it I still need to be under the care of Forth Valley as this is where I will be sent should I suffer a episode and require Immediate hospital assistance.

I have only met my cardiologist once before and that was back in December last year after my initial diagnosis by a private cardiologist and at the time the cause of my illness was not understood & I had only just started to be prescribed the required medicines for my conditions.

Since then I have had three echocardiograms one of which was at fourth Valley Hospital and 2 MRI scans. The results of these and consultation notes have all been copied into my cardiologist.

So, When this doctor phoned me I was extremely surprised that they hadn’t taken the time to read any of this information sent to them and the only pieces of information they had was their notes of December last year and a list of my current medication. Since their notes were written the assumption that the cause of my condition was caused by the infection had been disproved by the 2MRI scans. As well this doctor had not spoken to the heart nurse who they said was responsible for increasing my medication.

How can I have confidence in a unit when they do not take the time to read correspondence and results sent to them. They even suggested making a change to my current medication without knowing the full history.

I do not understand what my cardiologist expected to get out of the consultation as they clearly showed no interest in understanding what had happened in the last seven months regarding my treatment. All its done for me is give me additional stress and concern.

As patients we are expected to attend appointments, provide information as requested, surely the least we can expect is for Doctors to be well prepared. I certainly will be looking to understand how I can change my cardiologist as this episode has left me with no confidence in FVRH.