A pensioner with a potential heart defect says he is worried after having to wait almost a year for a hospital appointment.

Terry Usher from Dartford waited nine months for his cardiology appointment at Darent Valley Hospital, only for it to be cancelled the morning before.

The hospital trust has apologised for the delay, saying it understands that waiting for medical care can be both stressful and unsettling.

Terry first suspected something was wrong when he began experiencing “little misfires” in his heart where a beat was missed now and then.

After visiting his GP and undergoing a 24-hour ECG, the 66-year-old was diagnosed with potential Arterial Fibrillation (AF) in February and referred to Darent Valley for further investigation.

But, the earliest appointment the hospital’s cardiology department could give him was nine months later, on November 19.

Despite living a stone’s throw from the site and calling up regularly for any cancellations - offering to show up at five minutes’ notice - the dad-of-two was unable to get anything sooner.

Terry said: “I kicked off a bit of a stinker at the time but it was a waste of time so I just settled down and thought I’d be patient.

“I’m not saying I’m close to death but the doctor has said it is potentially serious.

“He put me on a stack of drugs, which I have been on since February and hate taking but I can’t stop until I get to the referral.”

AF is a condition that causes an irregular heart rate and can sometimes lead to dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness, though Terry has not experienced the latter symptoms.

It can also create blood clots that can cause strokes. People with AF are five times more likely to be at risk of one.

One of the medications he has been put on are blood thinners to combat the potential risk.

After waiting for months, his appointment was cancelled the day before with no reason given as to why.

Staff could only say it would take place in February 2025 – a year after his GP first referred him.

“They [the hospital] send out endless reminders and they actually sent a text about midday the day before saying ‘Don’t forget, your reminder’ and an hour later they phoned me and said it was cancelled,” said Terry.

The receptionist who delivered the news advised him to contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALs) which offers support and advice on NHS matters.

He had already put in a complaint when he was first referred but left another two messages with the service after the cancellation.

He said: “It does affect you - I just want to put my mind at rest about this.

“It’s deplorable. I know that I am one of many and some people have real life-threatening problems but this is where we are now.

“It is just getting worse as well,” he added.

Since first speaking to KentOnline, Terry has received another letter informing him the February appointment has been cancelled and he has been offered an earlier telephone appointment for January 6.

But, following intervention from PALS, his appointment has now been changed to a face-to-face one.

He is also set to undergo a 72-hour ECG set up by his doctor in the meantime which will monitor his condition to see whether it has got worse, better or stabilised.

But Terry said: “The disappointment is that it has taken over 10 months to see a specialist.

“It’s deplorable, I know that I am one of many”

“Nobody should have to wait for something that is fairly important, in my opinion. I think that is unacceptable.”

A spokesperson for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust said: “We sincerely regret any distress or inconvenience caused to patients when an appointment is postponed.

“We understand that waiting for medical care can be both stressful and unsettling.

“Due to strict confidentiality regulations, we are unable to comment on individual patient care.

“However, we strongly encourage Mr Usher, or any patient with concerns or uncertainty around delays to their appointments, to reach out to us directly through our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) or seek support from their GP.”