"Waiting for an appointment for months"

My boyfriend has had an ongoing problem that causes him to develop dizzyness and vomiting, this has been going on for years and has progressively worsened. He waited years for a referal, (partly his own thought as he didnt chase it up with his GP). He finally got an appointment with an ENT consultant and he saw one of his junior doctors who basically told him to keep a diary of his episodes and return in 3 months for a follow up appointment. This Dr did not do any investigations other than look in his ears which his GP has done on numerous occasions. His follow up appointment has been changed four times, six months later he has had no follow up appointment even after we called the consultant's secretary twice to try and bring the appointment forward as he is now having weekly episodes that are now effecting his work. As a nurse that has run a department in the NHS I understand the restraints that hospitals are under but these delays seem completely unacceptable and we are now having to pay to see the consultant himself as a private patient. How is this fair for a man who has payed taxes for 25 years and never claimed benefits????? Maybe private healthcare is the way forward. At least you only pay once.