"First visit to rheumatology outpatients."

I saw the consultant in September and have been in daily pain in my leg and hip (especially while standing) and nightly pain since March. My GP first thought I had sciatica and then suggested it might be bursitis or a lower back condition. As I have psoriasis and have had previous inflammatory arthritis they thought that I should be referred to a specialist. The whole referall proces was an absolute joke as I first had to go through a phone call process with a physiotherapists who (this really undermines the GP's expertise and raised countless letters and took 6 weeks before the hospital referral was made and then another 4 months for an outpatient appointment.

My GP felt that I would need an MRI scan to find out the cause of the pain. The consultant said it was bursitis and that they were going to give me a cortizone injection which would cure the problem. I asked about the scan and they said in their opinion it was not necessary. I asked what would happen if the injection didn't work and they said it would. I asked again and they said that they would not need to see me again and that if in the very unlikely case it didn't work than my GP could expedite and hospital referral appointment . I asked about my xray results which they hadn't seen them although they did then found a description of the findings but not the xrays themselves. Although the Xrays described degeneration of the lower back and hip they still would not refer me for a scan. The injection has not worked and 3 weeks later my GP is unsure how to 'expedite' and appointment for me. While I appreciate there are much worse cases then mine this problem is causing other problems with other joints, and a deterioration in my general health as continued pain does that to someone and affects daily tasks. If patients are not treated promptly and fully this then leads for a further waste of resources (ie more time with my GP another referral and associated paper work and cost to the CCG. Attempts to get patients off the books are not the most efficient way to treat a patient. Also there was no shared decision making I was clearly unhappy and expressed this as clearly and as politely as I could but I felt my experience ongoing joint problems over the past 10 years and a family history of inflammatory conditions ans arthritis were completely dismissed.