New and need advise

[Free_Spirit]

Hi all. Am new here and have a question. I was supposed to have an appointment this morning at 8.30 am with my specialist (first app) at my local hospital. I Turn up on-time to be told by the nursing team that the clinic and Dr I was meant to be seeing has not been to the hospital in over a month. So at 9am they kindly phoned the relevent dept for me. We were told that the specialist is on long term sick and new appointments are not being sent out for at least 11 months and that their advise is to start the process again by getting my GP to refer to another hospital. I saw my GP this morning (son had an app with him) and just mentioned this to him and it was the first he knew about it too. My problem is I have 4 children (3 under 5 and a Sen teen) my husband is disabled and is going for surgery tomorrow so will need extra care afterwards and my gp's hands are tied with what pain relief he can give me without a specialist say so. Does anybody know what I can do? I physically can't take another year of the pain.

Thank you in advance.

[PMRPete]

Find and contact your local PALS here:-

nhs.uk/chq/pages/1082.aspx?...

You can also dial 111 and ask them.

Your GP should have been able to give this to you and advise you.

Disgraceful conduct ALL round.

[Free_Spirit in reply to PMRPete]

Ok thank you so much for your response I'll give them a call and check the link out

[Loramay]

I would question why your gp can't give you stronger pain relief. I have lived with osteoarthritis since a motorbike accident 35 years ago. As the osteoarthritis has got worse my gp has changed my medication and never told my consultant.

[Free_Spirit in reply to Loramay]

Im going to as soon as I can get through! Thank you all so so much. Xxx