Degenerative Disc Disease in Cervical Spine

[archie]

I'm afraid you have been caught up on the referral system. You could try and switch onto the urgent list due to experiencing pins and needles into both hands and feet but your GP would have to refer you again. Many nhs trusts are now using private clinics to speed up waiting times so check if this is an option in your area. It sounds as though you would need orthopaedic investigation before progressing with treatment. Is going private an option?

[Magzy01]

Thank you for replying to my post. Unfortunately, being seen privately really isn't an option for me just now. Since my original post, my husband has written directly to the Chief Executive Officer, at the hospital, basically just asking if my recent scan can be looked at, and asking if someone can just at least contact me, it's not about kicking up a fuss or anything, what has been more frustrating is the fact that my GP has been chasing, and they have told her secretary, they will be contacting me directly, but haven't. The problem I have, has unfortunately got worse, comparing scans, and the pain and problems I am experiencing, seem to be continuing to get worse too.
I will let you know, how it goes, and thanks again.

[scramster]

Sorry to hear of your situation. It's unacceptable.

You could try going back to your GP and asking for referral to a different hospital. It worked for me in the past when the waiting times at my local hospital were very long.

You don't say if you have been referred for physio? That's another possibility that may help so i would inquire about that.

[Magzy01]

I had my physio suspended, as they put me back in the hands of the Neurosurgeons, once a new scan had been requested. My gp wouldn't refer me back for physio without the say so from the hospital, she ended up chasing the hospital 3 times, with no success, so last week, we put in an official complaint to the CEO at the hospital, I received a phonecall within 2 days, offering me an appointment that very day???? As it goes, I was unable to attend at such short notice,(I wouldn't have got there in time, as I am 20 miles away) but low and behold they had another appointment they could offer me, which is for next week... amazing how they seem to have been able to offer me 2 separate appointment times, within a week of each other, following an official complaint, whereas my original appointment is still over 7 months off. I have told them, I will be keeping the complaint open, until after I have seen the consultant, as I really don't want to be fobbed off anymore. I will let you know how I get on next week, and thank you to all who has read my post and replied.