"you could die waiting to see a consultant"

my Doctor referred me to the Pain Management Clinic at Southend NHS in Oct 2014.

I was suffering from Chronic Pain.

I got an appointment 5 months later.

Incredibly after waiting 5 months in terrible pain this was not to be an appointment to see a consultant.

This was an interview with a not over compassionate clinical nurse who was going to have the final say as to whether I was suffering enough to warrent an appointment further down the line with a consultant.

I would call this a vetting process or perhaps more to the point a stalling process.

It makes there records look better when they measure how long it took to see someone at the hospital.

At the Interview i was warned that it may take up to another year to see a consultant.

true to the Nurses word in Dec 2015 i got a letter asking me to ring for an appointment.

so after 15 months i finaly got to the point where i was ready to book an appointment.

if your in terrible pain for this long with no support and no one proffesional to turn too i really do think it is a dangerous situation.

I personally had to use my savings to see a pain consultant privately because i couldnt wait that long.

I reckon it would of been 18 months before actually getting any kind of procedure done, that is just not acceptable.