To think this warrants a complaint to PALS.

[Ostryga]

I know it’s covid times and waitlists are very long atm, but this is getting ridiculous.

I have severe psoriasis - to the point I am in so much pain I have to mentally prepare myself to turn over in bed because my skin is so raw. I’m having to take painkillers to get dressed because the friction is hideous.

I put a referral in with my GP last October. Phoned the derm department a couple of weeks ago to be told they couldn’t find it, so put a second, urgent referral in.

Phoned again to be told it has been downgraded and to expect an appointment in November!!

Someone I know had about 4 tiny patches of psoriasis and got seen within 6 weeks. Wtf.

I have been using Enstilar for 2 years, the recommended usage is 4 weeks. I’m going through 6 cans a month at the cost of over £400 to the nhs. I just can’t cope with this anymore!

Cannot afford to go private atm, otherwise I would have done that immediately.

Get back onto your GP and tell them how much pain you are in, they can then write to the derm department and ask for your appointment to be made urgent. I was a secretary for a dermatology consultant for years and a letter from the GP is what we needed to bring appointments forward.
Good luck x

If someone was seen within six weeks it's more than likely they were on the cancer pathway. That could have been an error, or there could be information that you're not aware of, but no one is getting a non urgent dermatology referral in six weeks! Even before covid derm referrals in my area were taking over a year.

PALS cannot get you moved up the list. If your GP can provide additional information that might get you seen more quickly, so that's the way to go.

I’m not sure if this is the norm but I had a mole which my GP took pictures of, he sent them to the dermatologist who got back really quickly with a diagnosis. Could you make an appointment with the GP and ask if this is available? At least if you could get a review they will surely put you up the list. Your quality of life is hugely impacted and this needs urgent attention.

This is really helpful - thank you!

I’ve just emailed my GP again stressing how much pain I’m in and asked them to write to the derm department. So hopefully that will go some way to hurrying things along.

I’ve lived with this for 20 years and coped, but it’s the worst it’s ever been. It’s such a bloody awful disease.

@Ostryga has something happened to make it worse ? Do you suffer with anxiety? I had a client years back with this and having spent a lot of time with her it seemed she suffered badly with anxiety and flare ups followed and then she would spiral down as she felt so bad. I can imagine it's a condition that really affects your mental health and energy on a daily basis. She did find exercise really helped, she would wear tight clothes to stop too much rubbing and flaking and have one to one personal training ( which is a bit like counselling and exercise in one.)