Last June, I suddenly fell ill and an ambulance was called. For the record, I'm mid-20s, previously healthy, healthy weight, non-smoker, I don't drink - nothing that should indicate any likelihood of falling ill, and nothing I can change to improve my health without medical support/input. I even ran a marathon less than a year earlier. I had an abnormal ECG when the paramedics arrived and I was taken to hospital. I spent two weeks in hospital, very unwell but with nothing actually done. I was discharged with a cardiology referral. Since then, I've had strange cardiac episodes that I'd never, ever had before. These tend to involve my heart rate shooting up (c.200bpm) and my blood pressure either shooting up too or dropping really low (to the point that I pass out). It's accompanied by severe chest pain and breathlessness. Sometimes these will happen multiple times in a day and sometimes I'll go a few weeks without one. There's no pattern or trigger that I can determine (no associated foods or activities, different times of the day, no issue with sleep, no correlation with blood sugar levels etc). Not to sound dramatic but I'm scared that I'm going to die.
Here's my AIBU, the cardiology department have been completely non-existent (to the point that I'm unsure if they even exist) and I feel like I should make a complaint, but I know the NHS is under strain and don't want to be that person.
From June through to December, I was waiting for my cardiology referral. My initial letter (the only letter I've received) said there would be a 26-30 week wait. My GP said that cardiology referrals often "slip through the net" so that I should make sure I chase it and a paramedic that came out said that "with cardiology, the squeaky wheel gets the oil" so I phoned a few times after June to check the status of my referral. No one answered the phone on any occasion that I phoned and no one returned my calls when I left a voicemail.
- At the start of December, my GP expedited my referral to a two week wait. After two weeks with nothing from cardiology, I began phoning. As above, no answer and no returned calls.
- At the start of January, I contacted PALS, who contacted cardiology and said that cardiology didn't have my expedited referral and I'm still on the standard waiting list. I phoned my GP who re-issused the expedited referral.
- At the start of February, with still no ability to contact cardiology directly (no email address, not allowed to go in person due to Covid and no one answering the phone), I contacted PALS again. Again, I was told they hadn't received an expedited referral. So, I spoke to my GP again and they made the referral again. At this point, I don't know whether the GP is messing up or the cardiology department is messing up.
- Two weeks later (mid-February), I've still heard nothing from cardiology (and still no one answering the phone or returning calls) so I contact PALS again. I get the same response that cardiology have not received my expedited referral. I contact my GP who sends an email which shows the referral was made and cc's in me and PALS. Within two hours, PALS responded that cardiology have now located my expedited referral (how convenient).
- In mid-March, I was sent a letter with an appointment at the end of May.
- A week before the appointment, my appointment was cancelled "due to Covid". Since then, I've been on the expedited referral waiting list. Cardiology have never, ever answered their phone - I've tried different times of day, going through the switchboard, phoning the number directly etc - they will not answer, and they never, ever return the call when I leave a message.
- Two weeks ago, PALS went from saying that I just need to keep waiting to saying that I'm no longer on the expedited waiting list and I'm back on the standard waiting list (this hadn't been communicated to me or to my GP). When I asked why, PALS said that a consultant had made the decision. When I asked how and why they'd made that decision, PALS said the consultant would contact me directly to explain the decision.
- It's been over two weeks and they haven't contacted me.
AIBU to make a formal complaint or is this just what the NHS is like now? If it makes any difference at all, if I paid hundreds of pounds (that I don't have), the consultants have availability to see me this week.