"I have had nothing but silence"

Last year I asked my GP if I could be referred regarding my right knee. My left knee has been replaced.

A few weeks later, after confirming with the medical practice that I had been referred they said yes I had.

My concern was that no communication had come from the NHS either to acknowledge my request, or to offer an appointment.

I then wrote to a doctor at the practice to ask whether I could be referred to The Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt specialist Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry. For veterans:- If you have knee or hip problems, that you can or cannot prove is attributable to your army or military service then this could be for you. There is a specific veterans clinic run by a Lt Col at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital at Oswestry, Shropshire.

The doctor told me they had to apply to NHS Lanarkshire for permission to do this.

I heard nothing more until the end of the year when a letter arrived to say I had an appointment at Hairmyres in January.

On the day of the appointment, I received a flood of texts and calls to tell me that the clinician was off sick and not to attend.

Since that time, I have had nothing but silence. It will shortly be one year since I was referred.

My feeling is I may have simply been shunted to the side and given a fictitious appointment that was never going to happen.

I feel I am being discriminated against, because of my age and the fact I am a veteran who asked to be seen by at the veterans clinic.

The thing that really bugs me is that had I been permitted to be seen, I would by now be on the road to recovery.

I am a veteran in my 70s. I thought we were supposed to receive priority treatment.

I am now very crippled and struggling, as I am widowed and live on my own.

This is affecting me mentally, and physically as I cannot now get out and walk and cycle as I used to do. I am virtually house bound.

My fear is now that I will die before I regain some mobility again.