Pain Clinic - severe pain & mental health problems. How to get an appointment?
Posted , 2 users are following.
Can anyone help with navigating the NHS's system to get help for my mum?
My mum's had chronic back pain for many years now, and its severity goes up and down. She's been back and forth with doctors and pain clinics, but no long-lasting solution has been arrived at.
Last year, we lost my sister suddenly, and my mum suffered from a very severe depression that meant I had to move back home to look after her for 6 months, and she was only lifted after 10 sessions of ECT (electronic convulsive therapy), which I'm so grateful for. Her severe back pain has been getting slowly worse after this, and her doctor referred her to see the pain clinic.
My other sister lives in New Zealand, and we decided it would be healing for us to visit her, and to hold a memorial there for my sister who passed away. We were in NZ from 12 Feb - 12 May. We informed the pain clinic directly the dates mum would be away for, and they said it would be no problem, and the note had been added to her file.
When we returned, we were greeted by letters confirming an appointment with the pain clinic in May, and then letters saying she was a no-show and had to rebook and essentially join the back of the queue again.
Now, I feel this is unfair given the circumstances - the pain clinic were informed of the situation, and it was their mistake in confirming an appointment while mum was away.
Mum's since returned to her GP, who's urged the pain clinic to not put her to the back of the queue owing to circumstances, but after speaking to pain clinic admins, they say the best they can do is book her in for a 'virtual appointment' on the phone around 20 June, which will then decide when a new appointment would be - which could be another few months even.
I understand the service is at full capacity and everyone deserves to be seen as quickly as possible, but shouldn't the pain clinic prioritise based on severity and how long overall a person has been waiting for support?
My mum's pain severely impacts her mental health, and I worry now that I need to leave home for work that she will deteriorate to the point of requiring the everyday support of the mental health crisis team, or worse, trying to take her own life as she has done before in moments of weakness and agony. Understandably I am struggling with my own mental health, so if we cynically look at this as an NHS resources issue, this could be worse for them in the long run...
What can we do to stress the urgency of the situation and get mum seen as quickly as possible? Anyone ever been in a similar situation and found something that worked?
Thank you,
Lewis
0 likes, 1 reply
sarah41956 lewisalex
Posted
I have been in pain last 18 months been the doctors been back and forth to hospital and went pain clinic and they talk pain and how they manage the pain then because i injured my back with fracture in my lumbar spine and had Emg done by neurologist they suggested i went to to my rheumatology only to find they discharge me but when i had my Emg the found i had nerve damage in my lower back the L4-L5 s1 . so from there keep going back to gp because wasn't getting anywhere so then sent me to someone for my feet and she said even know i had foot operation they said nothing they could do so sent back to pain clinic which i go on the 19th june and also i asked my gp to send me to neurologist which is not too the 16th September but you have to go on them till sick of it i am in lot pain and don't remember when i had night rest but saturday i was bending i felt something go my back when bending i have been in pain since i fell so we have to keep fighting to see someone i know there busy but they have duty of care i'm only 50 yrs old and so much pain perhaps there doctor out there can help .yet if we went private you would be seen tommorrow. But not able to pay that kind of money but i have lost weight i still have lot of pain.but wish you and your mum good luck and let me know how you get on. so think where all in the same boat.