"neurology disaster"

I was informed in feb 2016 that I required an operation for a nerve which was trapped in my spine by a bulging disc after seeing the consultant was told that as I was in constant agony that it was affecting my quailty of life and he would expedit the operation I was given a preoperative assessment after this I phoned the consultants office and spoke to their secretary who informed me that I would have to wait 12 months in agony before an operation could be carried out . I then wrote a complaint to the hospital informing then under the hospital constitution that treatment should start from the referral date which was 25/1/16 and be finished in 18 weeks also if they could not keep to this criteria to refer me to another hospital where this operation could be carried out also all travelling costs paid for by derriford hospital . on the reply from the hospital none of the criteria was offered also no explanation was forthcoming on why money and time was spent on a preoperative assessment when they knew that a date for surgery would be forthcoming at a time of austerity this time and money could have been allocated to another patient who would be getting an operation before me

I would like to know why a consultant could order a preoperative asseessment then be over ruled by their secretary