"Getting an appointment"

Referred from a GP. I was originally sent an appointment over 2 months away. Emailed to ask for an earlier appointment and had no reply. Called after a week or so and was told I would be notified when an appointment was available but in the meantime they had cancelled the original appointment(?!). It is now over two months since being referred and I am still waiting. With hindsight I would have been better off leaving the original appointment. Called again but was told that appointments can take up to 18 weeks which is a very long time to wait.