Royal Shrewsbury Hospital 2017-04-12 Person 1 5 0

My review is for the Chest Pain Clinic and Cardiology. I have had a totally wasted visit to this clinic. I went there expecting tests which apparently are no longer done at this clinic. The paperwork that is sent out is completely out of date and should be updated to reflect current practice. I do not feel reassured after my visit, instead I feel as though my symptoms were belittled and dismissed. I have had 3 trips to A&E, 2 other calls to paramedics and a 3 day stay in hospital due to attacks of chest pain, a feeling of collapse and very high blood pressure. The nurse I saw told me that she didn't think it was heart problems but probably a pulled muscle or tendon and to try taking paracetamol. When my symptoms come on they are both distressing and frightening and how they can be dismissed without a test of some sort and diagnosed as a pulled muscle is beyond me. I am now left with the option of another visit to A&E should I feel poorly again. To have to keep on dialling 999 and using the emergency services without proper diagnosis surely cannot save the NHS money and is a total waste of resources. It is fortunate that I have a second opinion in the pipeline and I would urge anyone visiting this clinic and the cardiology department to do the same. I should also like to add that I was discharged from hospital with instructions from the cardiologist to get some GTN spray from my GP "to try" as it would help to diagnose whether I had angina or not. Not a very reassuring way to be diagnosed! Again, I felt as though I was being a nuisance and my my symptoms were being dismissed and belittled. When I pointed out it was too late to contact my GP that day he reluctantly gave me a prescription which the nurse very kindly got for me, otherwise I would have gone home without any medication. The cardiology department needs to pull it's socks up and treat it's patients with a little bit of respect.