"Referral to Ayrshire Outpatient Dept"

I moved down to Ayrshire in January 2020.  The rheumatologist at my previous hospital, had kindly written in advance to refer me to Ayrshire.  

My first appointment was cancelled due to lockdown. Then I was Shielding until July, when I had to go back to work.  I work in the Highlands on a seasonal campsite and am home for a week, every three weeks. When the season ends in November, I am home for four months. I received an appointment for outpatients for a date when I was away working, so I called the department and explained my situation, giving them the exact dates I was at home.  I was told that, because of the way the system worked at the moment, it wasn’t possible to get an appointment for a long way ahead, but when I got another appointment for when I was away, I could change it.  

So, I got home from work at the beginning of October, to find an appointment letter dated 23 September, telling me my appointment was for a date that already passed.  I called the referral desk and explained that I had been away working and hadn’t been home to receive the letter, nor had I been back in time to go to the appointment.  I was told that, as I had “not turned up”, my referral was now cancelled and I would need to be re-referred by my GP.  The receptionist did apologise and said they had explained my situation to the person they spoke to in the Rheumatology Department but they would not budge and the nurse whom I should have seen was now self-isolating.

I have serious concerns about getting my medication.  I have to have a Rheumatology prescription for some medication as it is not available on Gp Prescriptions.  So much time has now gone by that I have not been taking my meds every week because I worry I will run out.  No one seems able to help with this and it is really difficult to get a GP appointment.  

I have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for nearly 20 years and I have never felt the need to stop taking my meds, but I don’t know what else I can do.  I really wanted to see someone, because I have been struggling with my hands for several months and I can’t use a pen properly any more, but I guess I will have to put up with it.  It such a shame, and I feel I am being punished for something that isn’t my fault.