"Waiting Time and slowness of getting diagnostic tests and treatment"

I initially started with neck pain in September 2012 and got a neck X-ray which was diagnosed as DISH. My pain became progressively worse and have had long periods of absence from work.

In 2014, I attended an appointment at pain clinic but no follow up treatment was offered.

In November 2015, I finally got a spinal X-ray and an MRI on lower back and was diagnosed with spinal oesteoarthritis in neck, middle and lower back as well as two slipped discs at L4 and L5 with one trapping a nerve. It was not until end of June 2016 that I got an appointment with Pain Clinic and I was referred for local anaesthetic/cortisteroid injections, which I am still waiting to get.

The injections were scheduled for mid September then I was told that waiting list was underestimated and earliest will now be mid October. During this time I have become progressively worse, in constant pain, live on my own and struggle to care for myself. The pain has now spread into my knee also.