"Praise for the NHS"

Last Wednesday, I had an appointment at Harwood Medical Centre to check an ankle injury sustained whilst exercising some weeks earlier. Having checked the injury I mentioned to the doctor that for the past couple of weeks I had been getting short of breath climbing the stairs or out walking and was this down to not having exercised since my injury.

Within 5 minutes of checking my chest I was having an ECG and found my heart rate was very low. The doctor then rang Royal Bolton Hospital and I went for tests the next morning. Following the tests I was told that I was being admitted and would need to have a pacemaker fitted. Having carried out all the checks the consultant explained exactly what was needed in a way that was very easy to understand.

I then had the operation to insert a pacemaker into my chest on Friday morning and was home by teatime. 48 hours earlier I didn’t know my heart wasn’t working properly and it was now working fine.

With all the bad publicity the NHS is getting at the moment, I felt it only right to praise the hospital for the excellent service I received. The doctors, nurses and consultants looked after me tremendously well. Everything was explained to me at every stage and but for their knowledge and expert attention I could have ended up in a lot worse condition, without knowing it.

So thank you Royal Bolton Hospital and Harwood Medical Centre, I can only say that when I needed treatment it was available straight away.