A former nurse has hit out at NHS Grampian waiting times – after buying his own coffin fearing he won’t live long enough to see a consultant.

The ex-health professional, who asked not to be named, said he was shocked to discover waiting times in the region for cardiac patients had spiralled to 40 weeks.

He said: “I ordered my coffin on Tuesday.

“I really don’t know if I’ll make it to the appointment because I don’t know what’s going on with my heart.”

After receiving a bypass 18 years ago, the patient visited his GP in the summer after he started to suffer some worrying symptoms.

He said: “They told me a bypass is good for about 10 years, and I’m past that, so I know the expectancy for me isn’t good.

“I’ve had symptoms again and there are options for further treatment, such as drugs.

“But I can’t get them without this hospital appointment, which won’t happen until May next year.

“I know there’s long waiting times in other departments too and they say that’s staff shortages, but cardiac isn’t an ailment you can just wait around to fix really.”

The patient, who lives in Aberdeen, says he has asked to be referred to Glasgow for the appointment instead, but was told by the health board this isn’t possible.

He added: “The NHS are holding me to ransom.

“What other options are there, if I can’t even go to Glasgow instead for treatment?

“I have a job that I want to still be able to do and it’s getting difficult because of this.”

The former nurse hit out at the health board and the Scottish Government.

He said: “With waiting times like this, what is the chief executive of NHS Grampian doing, and what are the Scottish Government doing to fix this?

“They say the health service is the best it has ever been.

“That’s simply not true.

“How can it be, with people waiting 40 weeks for a simple referral.”.

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