"Pulled from pillar to post"

I have a history of heart problems. In 1996 I had my first stent and another 2 in 2001.

Last October, I had a heart attack whilst working in Northern Ireland and was admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry. The treatment was first class and they performed another Angioplasty. As a result I was told I urgently needed a triple by-pass.

A doctor made an urgent referral to Golden Jubilee Hospital and sent over my scans on CD-Rom. I was discharged from Altnagelvin on a few days later, on the proviso that my wife came to collect me and drove me back to Dumfries as I was restricted from flying. I was also instructed to notify Altnagelvin if I had not received an appointment or heard from the GJH within 7 days.

Two days later, I reported to my GP in Dumfries with my discharge letter and was informed that there was nothing I needed to do as the urgent referral had been made and I should get a date through soon.

7 days after being discharged I telephoned GJH as I had not heard from them. I was advised that they had received the discs from Northern Ireland but the doctor was now on holiday for another week and to call back the following week.

As instructed I notified Altnagelvin to notify my surgeon there. Eventually I spoke with a secretary who advised that the medical report had not been sent to GJH but would be with them later that day, which it was.

I then received a call from my GP practice who stated that I had to have a referral from my own GP before I could see someone at GJH, as my heart attack happened outside of UK! ! Being an ex-serviceman who served in NI I naturally corrected the medical staff.

Another week past and I was told that I had to see a specialist in Dumfries & Galloway hospital before I could be referred to GJH. So I phoned the hospital to ask when I would get an appointment. I was advised that the doctor I was to see was holiday for a week and another specialist would not see me.

Eventually, in mid November 2016, I got my appointment with Dumfries & Galloway hospital who said I was an urgent referral GJH, that I should not have had to wait so long and that they would email GJH as urgent case.

I was admitted to hospital a few days after this as the medication I was prescribed in Northern Ireland was having an adverse effect on my liver count. Whilst in Dumfries hospital I was put in a ward with 3 other patients who had a heart attack within the last week, had already attended GJH and were being kept in hospital until being called forward for their CABJ.

My experience in Dumfries was, 1. They spelt my name wrong and missed a blood test, 2. Lost my medication, despite being locked in a box belonging to my bed. 3. Told I was being discharged before they could complete the tests as they needed the bed, 4. Told I would be fitted with a heart monitor for 72 hours whilst at home and told to wait for an appointment but they did not know how long it would take.

Just before Christmas I received my pre-op appointment with at GJH. I was advised that they were prepared to take me as a patient on referral from Altnagelvin straight away but Dumfries refused it as they stated that as the heart attack happened outside UK! ! it would have to be referred by them first.

Eventually, in December 2016, I was admitted to GJH, almost nine weeks after suffering a damaging heart attack and had 2 CABG's.

I am now recovering well at home and have just started my Cardiac Rehab programe.

In short with the exception of my treatment by Altnagelvin NHS UK and GJH NHS UK, my treatment within Dumfries & Galloway was lacking in, knowledge of geography, procedure, urgency and understanding, especially not knowing if I was take another heart attack before being operated. There is only one NHS, so why did things go so wrong!