"Ridiculous waiting times and staff attitude"

Anything else?

After being referred in January 2013 as an 'urgent' referral due to a herniated disc showing on an MRI and unexplained debilitating pain that did not correlate with the herniated disc, I finally had my appointment in May 2013, 4 months later. After being seen by an underling of the consultant I was supposed to see I was basically told to lose weight in the first instance to see if that helped matters and to come back in 3 months which would have been August 2013. I knew losing weight wouldn't cure the herniated disc or the other pain I have but know I have to humour them and go along with it to show that losing weight did not work in order to move onto actually getting some help. August 2013 came and had no appointment so I called them and they told me the waiting list had actually doubled and was more like 6 months so to expect an appointment in November. We are now going into December 2013 and I still have no appointment. So my 'we will see you again in 3 months' has actually turned into at least 7 months and i am left in severe pain at a young age, on morphine and a whole host of tablets I should not be on at my age, for a problem I just need someone to look at and treat me for. It's okay for the dr's who do not have to live in this pain and have their life severely restricted by it. My life is now ruined by an illness I did not ask to have, and I am just treated as a number on a piece of paper. The only positive thing I can say about my visit to Neurosurgery was that there was no waiting around and I was called straight in. Major negative was the uninterested doctor I saw who absolutely did not want to answer my questions. He kept ending his sentences with 'okay?' and looking at his computer screen tapping away like he expected me to get up and leave. And when I asked question after question I was met with a sigh and a half hearted answer before being hinted at to leave again. After waiting 4 months for an 'urgent' appointment I at least expected to be able to answer any questions I had. The icing on the cake was when I did start to leave and the dr was reading texts on his personal phone before he had even said goodbye. I just found it plain rude. Please Neurosurgery sort your waiting list out and try to give treatment to your patients who desperately need it!