Hi Seonaid, welcome from me too. Sorry to hear about not being able to contact you nurse, it's awful. I was lucky with mine last week, in so much pain i rang the wrong department and ext number very early and left a message. A very thoughtful person passed it on and i got a call back within a couple of hours from the nurse.
Maybe this would work for you too, go on give it a try.
Hope your feeling better soon. Kathleen x

Hi Seonaid

I'm Pat, nearly 42 (shhhh) and Mum to two adorable boys of 5 and nearly one year old (eek).

I really do think you are getting a rough deal with your hospital. Surely they are running blood tests regularly so you should be at the clinic more than every 9 months?

When I moved here (Durham) my consultant and nurse both told me they are a phone call away and always approachable if I'm in pain. I've made emergency appointments for steroid injections and been seen within a week.

Can you contact the Consultant's PA and tell them how much pain you are in and lack of contact by the nurse. TBH I'd be contacting (or threatening to contact) PALS if you can't get any service.