A heart patient who suffered two angina attacks in a week was left fearing for her life after being told her hospital appointment was cancelled.

Jean Epsley, from Ditton, was due to have a heart monitor fitted at Maidstone Hospital on Wednesday, but was contacted the day before to be told the appointment would not go ahead.

Mrs Epsley, who had three stents fitted in her heart in June 2007, was told by letter that the cancellation was due to low staffing levels, and said she was urged by hospital staff to complain.

The 63-year-old, who suffers from chronic arthritis, said: “I was frightened and I expect there’s a lot of other people as equally frightened.

“The staff are not very happy. A woman there said we feel the same way.

“I said 'do you want me to just drop dead and be off your hands?’; they said they understand how I felt."

In its letter to Mrs Epsley, the cardio-respiratory department said her appointment had been cancelled because of “existing equipment and staffing levels.”

But Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust officials later refuted the reasons, saying the problems were due to the department’s computerised appointments system.

A spokesman said only a small number of patients had been affected.

What do you think? Have you suffered a similar experience? Email messengernews@thekmgroup.co.ukFor the full story, see this Friday's Kent Messenger