SWIFT action from the NHS could have saved a Dunfermline man's life after he was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.

Kevin Fitzgerald, 63, thought he had a minor injury but, within five hours of waking up with a swollen leg, found himself in Victoria Hospital's Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) unit receiving treatment for a blood clot.

"I hurt myself a couple of weeks ago and thought I'd pulled a hamstring," he told the Press.

"I woke up that morning and the whole thing was swollen.

"I called NHS 24 at 7.45am and was in the DVT unit by 12.45pm and was given blood thinners.

"The service was first-rate, I don't know what the outcome could have been (otherwise)."

The Liverpool native, who now lives in Duloch, was impressed by the quick response from the phone service, who offered him a GP appointment at Millhill Surgery for 11am.

The operators sent all of his information directly to the reception desk, which cut down the usually-lengthy process of completing a form to arrange to see a doctor.

From there, he was sent directly to the hospital where he was seen immediately by specialists for potentially life-saving treatment.

According to the NHS, DVT is one of the main causes of pulmonary embolisms, where a clots breaks loose, travels through the bloodstream, and gets stuck in the lungs. The life-threatening condition occurs when a foreign body blocks the artery that carries blood from the heart to the lungs.

"The GP looked at it and straight away said: 'I think you've got a blood clot'," Kevin added.

"I went straight into the clinic and the nurse was waiting there and the doctor was ready to see me.

"All I had to wait for were my blood tests coming back but even that only took 45 minutes, and I have just got to go back for a scan.

"It was in a muscle I hadn't even heard of but they knew it was a clot straight away.

"You hear the horror stories but I experienced none of that, I thought it was time to praise them."

Now recovering at home, Kevin will return to the hospital for follow-up tests, including a scan, and is on blood-thinning medication.

Nicola Robertson, associate director of nursing at NHS Fife, said: "Whether in our communities or in our hospitals, the staff working across healthcare services in Fife always aim to provide patients with the best care and treatment they possibly can.

"The feedback we receive from patients and their loved ones, regardless of whether positive or otherwise, is really valuable to us and helps inform and shape the way our services are planned and delivered."