I’m in agony.. and trapped on waiting list

KELLYANNE Brown is in so much pain that she struggles to pick up her two-year-old daughter. But she has been waiting more than six months for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to give her specialist injections for her back, and she is likely to wait months more. Kellyanne asked recently if she could still be waiting at Christmas. Her consultant’s secretary had to admit it was possible. “She told me there were more than 400 people on the waiting list,” Kellyanne, from Glasgow, recalled. “People come in as emergencies so it keeps getting longer. And there are only four surgeons in Scotland who can do the procedure.” Payroll worker Kellyanne, 33, has a slipped disc and a bulging disc. Her condition gives her immense pain, and she relies on husband Tony for help with their little girl, Sophia. In August last year, Kellyanne’s legs gave way and she found herself on the floor. She’s been in pain ever since. Her GP referred her within days to a spinal specialist. But she didn’t see a consultant until December, and he then had to tell her he couldn’t treat her immediately. She would have to go on a waiting list. Kellyanne, left, said: “I thought I’d be having surgery but he said they would do injections first to see if they help. ”He said surgery like this is quite dangerous. They only do it if other things don’t work. “I burst into tears. I was told I had to wait 20 weeks. “And then, if the injections don’t work, I’ll have to wait another 20 weeks for surgery. “I’m trying to stay positive and I believe the injections will work. I just don’t know when I’ll get them.” A spokeswoman for Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board said: “We are sorry to hear about Ms Brown’s experience. “While we aim to see and treat patients within 12 weeks, unfortunately a number of orthopaedics patients have waited longer than we would like. We apologise for this. “Mrs Brown has been fully assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon and the treatment she requires is intricate. While she awaits this procedure, any pain or discomfort will be being managed through medication. “The board have put a number of measures in place to minimise waiting times, including additional clinics. We are working with colleagues to address the situation. We would like to reassure Mrs Brown we will do our best to schedule her procedure for the earliest possible date.”