24% of heart patients feel ‘unsafe’ while with medics

It comes as a new study reveals almost a quarter of adults and a fifth of children across Scotland have felt “unsafe” while being treated by doctors.

Patients expressed concerns that medics had no awareness of their condition and reported most concerns about A&E and GP services.

One adult patient with a pacemaker was referred to Glasgow Royal Infimary by NHS 24 but said “doctors there didn’t seem to know how to deal with me, sent me home and told me to ring my pacemaker clinic next day.”

Another told how a GP advised him to stop taking beta blocker drugs without discussing it with a cardiologist. This can cause heart rate to soar to dangerous levels and the patient ended up in A&E.

Between 450-600 babies are born with a congenital heart condition every year in Scotland and 15,600 adults are living with the condition.

NHS Lothian had the lowest percentage of patients feeling unsafe (14%) while NHS Ayrshire and Arran had the highest at 29%.

Just under a fifth of those surveyed by the new Scottish Congenital Cardiac Network in Glasgow said they had felt unsafe while being treated in hospital with 23% in Lanarkshire expressing concerns.

The network was launched earlier this year to monitor services for children and adults with congenital heart problems.

Many of those surveyed provided examples of “excellent” care but the study found this was not consistent throughout Scotland.

The Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank was rated 4.5 out of 5 for care while Glasgow’s Yorkhill Hospital for Sick Children, which cares for heart patients aged up to 16, was rated highly by patients.

The on-call service has now been identified as a priority for the Scottish Adult Congenital Cardiac Service, based at the Golden Jubilee Hospital.

Experts say an on-call service could also be used by local hospitals to access advice on the best treatment action.

The study, which involved 191 patients, concluded: “This patient survey shows there is excellent specialist care for people with congenital heart disease.

“However, this is not consistent throughout Scotland and 19% of paediatric patients and 24% of adult patients report they have felt unsafe when treated for their congenital heart disease.

“Patients report most of their concerns are about the information and support they receive at their GP practice and at their local A&E department.

“This demonstrates there is a need to increase training and education to raise awareness about congenital heart disease amongst GPs and A&E staff.

“SCCN will engage with consultants at SACCS to discuss possible ways of to provide 24/7 support.”

Source The Evening Times