"Fantastic visit to Clinic 2 Cardiology"

On the 1st of November 2017 I visited Clinic 2 Cardiology for a follow up after an echo in early September. I am a severely visually impaired young man with Asperger's syndrome. I attended with my mother.

Obviously going to a cardiology clinic is not like going to ophthalmology....there is potential for much more serious consideration and discussion. Therefore, I did feel a certain amount of trepidation on the way there.

However, from the moment I arrived I was made to feel very welcome by the staff in the clinic. Soon after I was sent for an ECG. Before the procedure took place the nurse made sure I already knew what to expect (I've had loads done before so it didn't bother me). It was refreshing to have the easy to use stickers and electrodes, as I remember as a child having much more rudimentary apparatus attached to me; obviously keeping very still wasn't an issue this time due to my current age of maturity!!!!!

It was then a very short wait before I was called in to see my consultant. The level of communication between myself, my mother and the consultant was exemplary. I was made to understand everything very well and was given lots of opportunity to take an integral role in the discussion and examination. I am a mental health student and I know from research that if patients are provided an active participation in their own care plan, they are more likely to comply with medication/lifestyle protocols...so this was excellent.

I left feeling very much reassured! It was also nice to feel that there was a general interest by the staff in my particular case and this showed throughout my visit.

The level of good humour in the clinic also created much light relief and it appeared the staff really enjoyed their careers.

Once again, as I have said before in an Ophthalmology review, this particular visit does once again reinforce that the NHS is a national treasure and that those who work there deserve our upmost respect in these stressful times!!!! Also, my attendance yesterday has once again reinforced in my mind a desire to work in the NHS at some point following my course.