"Extreme back pain"

My husband has had back pain for the last 3 years which has got progressively worse. He has attended the dr and has had numerous scans done. He was under a doctor at the Queen Elizabeth's in Glasgow and now been referred to on to another doctor as he needs complex spinal surgery. He is taking heavy duty medication which is affecting his personality and as such our lives. He is in pain constantly and the man I love is fading in front of my eyes. After being referred to the neurosurgeon we thought at last we would be getting him sorted so imagine my distress when he called this morning to enquire about the timescale to see the neurosurgeon and he was told it could be anywhere from 35 to 40 WEEKS. We have already waited 8 Weeks. So in actual fact it's nearly a year to see him. What happened to the 12 week appointment promise?