"Difficulty in obtaining test results."

My wife and I both had Covid 19 in December 2020. We did not trouble the health services and gradually partly recovered. While still feeling unwell we presented for our first vaccination in February 2021. That day my wife experienced a worsening of her symptoms and within a few days I too became unwell again. Our symptoms have varied from month to month but have been sufficiently worrying to cause us to contact our GP. At first the best that we could get was advice to look at the guidance for those suffering with coronavirus on-line. The entire thrust of such guidance is to encourage people to get all the vaccinations that are on offer and, after our previous experience, this is something that we do not intend to do. Eventually I managed to get blood tests, an appointment for an ECG, a Cardiocall device and, one month ago, an Echocardiogram.

Trying to obtain the results of these procedures has been impossible. When I telephoned the BGH I was told that the Cardiologist does not speak to people on the telephone.  Why should this be the case? I have held a responsible positions in my time but never found it necessary to elevate myself above the people in whose interests I was employed. I considered that it was part of my job to evaluate and feedback to people.

I have subsequently pestered my local GP practice but still cannot get my results one month later. Incidentally, the individual that performed the Echocardiogram only took about ten minutes to complete the procedure although the letter confirming my appointment intimated that it would take forty to fifty minutes to complete. He was not very communicative and I am unsure whether the procedure was completed properly anyway. Our symptoms now vary, we are unable to function normally because of fatigue, most days we have muscle and joint pain, palpitations, tremors and other problems that ordinarily would be enough to expect a referral to a neurologist and yet we have no service from the NHS Borders.