St George's NHS Hospital

On Friday this week,  my atrial fibrillation, which appeared to have been revived by Covid-19 in October 2022, was by appointment   dealt with on the NHS through  cardioversion (with DC rather than AC, electrical current) at St George's Hospital.

Hearing about the great crises in the NHS, it was surprising to find that the whole procedure did indeed start at the specified time of 7:30 am with no queueing or waiting. 

I gathered that there were only three of us who were due to be treated that day. I was shown to a small ward of special hospital treatment beds to change and prepare for the treatment. 

The medics explained the treatment, asked whether  I had been taking or not, the apt medication and secured consent to blood transfusions should they prove necessary. By then, the worst part of the preparation had been the fasting from food and drink from the previous day and arranging to arrive at the St George's hospital before 7:30am (24 hour bus).

The hospital bed was then wheeled into a large  airy operations room and with only three patients, there was no hassle and little waiting. Each of us was in an enclosed section. There were some nine medics in attendance including a doctor who was apparently learning  procedures from colleagues.

Anaesthetics then the electric shocks, were administered. I felt nothing then nor during the whole procedure.

Interestingly to me anyway, the other two younger men  apparently needed to be awoken from their anaesthesia whereas for some reason I did not. 

After the op. the three of us were taken back to the small ward and offered some  decent refreshments, in my case egg sandwiches, banana and coffee.

We chatted together for a while. For two of us myself, included, the atrial fibrillation ceased enabling the heart to revert to normal beating after a single shock of DC current,  though not for the third patient despite his apparently being  given several shocks.

The chart and notes provided for me to keep, were  helpful and not least because it is always possible for the heart beats to revert, the medics will check  further for another  six months or so.

Finally, I was pleased to be collected by mrs maytrees for the journey home after the medics were satisfied that all had gone well.

Walking uphill on the Saturday morning after the Friday operation, was far easier despite dreadful weather, than had been the case for weeks and long may that continue.

Perhaps I have been fortunate but the NHS provided the above without cost and with little waiting or queuing, both on the day itself and on my preceding visits.