to think that £220 to see a consultant privately because the local hospital screwed up is really taking the p*ss?

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

shall I send them the bill/cancel and wait for an 'urgent' appointment that could take a month?

Well, you don't have to go private do you? Why is it a problem to wait for an NHS appointment?

No one is holding a gun to your head and making you choose private treatment.

Have you discussed your waiting time with your GP ? Quite often GP's will write to the NHS consultant you are waiting to see in order to expedite your appointment or at least hurry the processing along.

Failing that you could always write to your MP.

BTW, I work for the NHS, funnily enough dealing with outpatient waiting lists. In our Trust (and I'm sure in many more) we are struggling terribly with a lack of clinics and staff to cover them (funding). I know waiting is very frustrating and you are bound to be anxious about your condition but no-one is picking on you specifically. The NHS as a whole is appallingly understaffed, underfunded and at grass roots level, completely tied by red tape, debt and layers and layers of management.

Many patients are in the same boat as you. I'm not saying that is right, but I'm saying it is a national problem. Not all of the patients on waiting lists are fortunate enough to have the option to choose private healthcare if the NHS wait is too long for them.

tell us the full story first

very hard to judge the merits of the case without knowing how the hospital has screwed up

here

and here too

if it is that urgent, speak to the consultants secretary and ask for a cancellation

I've spoken to them again today, she said that the consultant's looking at the request to see if it really is as urgent as the GP has said, if it is I could get an appointment at any time, if it's not it will be an 8 week wait. I know there must be others in the same position, it's frustrating as I'm feeling worse though.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but investigations into MS will take weeks/months potentially years. Why doesn't your GP refer you directly for an MRI if that's what they suspect ? Then refer to a neurologist based on the results of that ? Otherwise you wait for a neurologist appointment, who may then decide to send you for a scan or a lumbar puncture which may take weeks/months. You then wait for the results of those and another appointment with a neurologist etc. You neeed to prepare yourself for long journey to get answers. Getting this stressed will not help your symptoms. Easier said than done I know.

Have you seen this website ? Forums with loads of folks in the same boat - hope it helps a bit.
www.mssociety.org.uk/applications/discussion/view.rm?post_id=1503

It's OK Sassybeast. Thankyou.

nhs acts very quickly if it is a life threatening condition.

It's completely up to you to decide if you can't stand waiting for a week or two.

Hmm. I may have to harass you lot for another couple of weeks

I have an odd cold numbness in my arms now and I'm having problems coordinating them. It's taking alot of effort to type in the correct letters. Probably not life threatening, doing my head in though,

Our neuro consultants will not even see most new patients without an MRI first.

If it is getting worse then you should go back to your GP, they might then think you need to be seen sooner.

I'd push your GP for a referral for an MRI scan first OR spend your own money on the scan, not on a neurology appointment. But have a look at the MS Society and see what people on there advise.

Thanks. I think I will cancel it. I expected it to be roughly what I paid last time, not twice as much. A MRI IIRC is about 1K to have done privately.