Frustrated , all we are is a number

[Rocky1]

Why am I not surprised that my urgent appointment with the pain clinic has been cancelled by the hospital at the last minute, apparently the consultant is on leave.... I don't believe that. Why give someone an appointment if the doctor is on leave... I'm in unbearable amount of pain and now I have to wait another three weeks and I bet that will get cancelled too..

I'm so fed up and my GP cannot help as this is too specialised for them to deal with..

I know this happens a lot to many people but it's really hard to deal with... I had a feeling they would cancel as that's the way the NHS is nowadays...

[Hidden]

My appointments with the Pain Clinic were cancelled 3 times, each occasion I knew it would be cancelled by the hospital so you are not alone. Though to be honest I've tried 5 different drugs and not a single one has helped.

[Rocky1]

Hi No-one. Ive tried numerous drugs too and nothing at all has helped. I really need an alternative treatment from them. I think it's disgraceful and I was referred as an alternative case after having chronic pain for almost a year and I have also just had a really big operation which has been traumatic in itself..

The bookings guy has tried to help but he can only do so much. I'll keep on ringing until they sort me out a cancellation.

The one thing I have had to learn in the last year is to be more pushy and ask for what I want.. I've never been that kind of person as I don't like to be pushy. But if I hadn't been so pushy then they never would have found my tumour.....

But i am tired f constantly having to chase up appointments. I was supposed to see one of my consultant after 3 months and all they can give me is a seven month appointment!!

In some ways I am grateful for the NHS but it is equally very very frustrating and like many people feel like I am hitting my head against a brick wall..

[gillimac]

Same thing happened to me last Tuesday, appoint was for 7.10 pm and the consultants secretary phoned me at 6.30 to cancel. Haven't had a new appointment yet, this will probably be about six weeks down the line.

[Hidden]

Have you tried a sports physio, they are very good at finding and treating the source of the pain. They will also show you how to treat it yourself, you'll only need a few sessions.

[Bankieanne]

A familiar story sadly. It took me 8 months to convince my GP to refer me to a pain clinic. Waited 4 months for the appointment to come through for it to be cancelled a few days before was due to go. Like others here I am grateful in many ways for our NHS but it's sadly lacking in many areas. Over the last year it's been an uphill struggle to get required treatment. There is a system failure when a patient has to wait 4/5 months to see a specialist to be told they can't help but get passed on to another specialist waiting another 4/5 months etc etc. it's so frustrating. No wonder people who are desperate seek out private medical care.

Sorry, have ranted on a bit. Will get off my soap box now!

[Rocky1]

Hi Bankieanne. My experience has been similar. it's almost a year since I initially mentioned going to a pain clinic. I thin its a disgrace how they cancel at the last minute making a really obvious excuse, I think eventually we will all end up going private because we will be at our wits end whilst waiting for our appointment...

I wish you well

[teadrinker]

I have had pain clinic appointments cancelled in the past. Or been told by the consultant I need to come to clinic on such & such a date only to be told by reception staff that they haven't got a clinic that day, don't know when they can fit me in, etc. Or, even more hilarious (well, you've got to laugh or you'd cry) the consultant has told me to ring up for an appointment if I've got a problem - so i have & they've told me it'll be a couple of months before I can get seen.

I am not making excuses for pain clinics, and I have had some good experiences too, but I think they are hideously under-resourced and don't have the same level of funding and facilities as other hospital services. Therefore, they can't cope. But that doesn't excuse how we sometimes get treated.

You are quite right to hassle them for a cancellation. Take it further and make an official complaint if you feel you need to. And don't do what I've caught myself doing when you do finally get seen & they apologise for the long waiting list : I say, "oh that's OK". It isn't.

[Dalrymple]

I know how you feel as I have had to wait in pain for an appointment with my local pain clinic, as my GP had forgot to make my referral to the clinic, it has been six month's, but at last I have an appointment for the 16th of this month , I hope it is worth it as I have no idea what to expect at a pain clinic.

[missdiannedyas23]

My wife must be a lucky one in respect of cancellations ,Her first appointment took a long time to come threw during which like yourself she was in a huge amount of pain and our local gp did all they could to help but she really needed to be seen by a specialist who knew more about her problems ,once seen she as been around 10 to 12 times in 2 years now for both injections and appointments and never had a cancellation even though our pain clinic as had to take over all appointment within a huge area due to cutbacks,sometimes we have been sat in the waiting room and people have come in wanting and demanding been rude ,swearing at the poor nurse behind the desk ,I am afraid it's all threw cutbacks and the nurses and doctors we see should not be treated in a horrible manner ,I have been lucky with pain clinic yes but other treatments I have to wait a long time for on the nhs and I am afraid it is the way it's going to stay .I hope your wait I'd not much longer .........