Housebound mum has been told she must wait over nine months to see a spine specialist

Mum-of-two Selina Hendry, 38, cannot leave her home in Greenock after being diagnosed with debilitating scoliosis and degenerative arthritis.

It has left her in crippling pain and struggling to walk.

Selina, who is taking nine tablets a day for her condition, now faces a 42-week wait to see an expert - which she says is 'unacceptable'.

She told the Tele: "I don't think they realise how much pain I'm in.

"I'm 38 and I have two children - I just want it fixed.

"I don't want to end up in a wheelchair."

Selina, of Aberfoyle Road, says her ordeal began last year when she started to develop back pain.

She said: "For years I've had this niggle and I thought it was just a bit of backache.

"Then one day I was looking under the bed for a dummy and my back was really sore and I felt a lump.

"I went to hospital, thinking it was a slipped disc and they told me it was scoliosis that went back 10 years.

"I'd had an X-ray 10 years ago for something else and it showed that I had scoliosis but no-one ever mentioned it to me."

Back in October Selina was referred for an MRI but it didn't happen until months later.

She said: "By December I hadn't heard anything so I phoned up to check and was told that the doctor had forgotten to refer me.

"I felt helpless.

"I eventually got an MRI in February and the results in March."

Selina was eventually referred to see a spinal specialist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow but she has since experienced more delays.

She said: "I was told that my case would be put down as urgent.

"Again after not hearing anything about my appointment I phoned up to check and was told that my case was not urgent but was routine.

"I was then told I was on an 18 week waiting list."

A few days ago, Selina said she phoned up again - and was distraught to be told that she is now on a 42-week long waiting list.

She added: "They told me it would be 18 weeks at first and now that has jumped up to over 40.

"I can't wait 42 weeks.

"It's horrible, I'm in constant pain all the time."

Selina's former partner and the father of her children Sandy McMeikan, who is her carer, says she must be seen soon.

He said: "Selina has been waiting for an appointment for a long time for urgent treatment.

"She was diagnosed seven months ago and is in daily pain.

"The consultant originally forgot to do the referral for her, which added months onto the waiting.

"She has constant pain.

"We don't know where else to turn to."

Selina's father John Hendry says the lengthy wait is taking its toll on the whole family.

He said: "Obviously every parent wants to protect their children but I feel a wee bit useless as far as everything is concerned.

"I have sat and watched Selina crying and I listen to her saying 'I'm going to die young'.

"I try to convince her that she's not.

"The waiting is not just worrying for me but her whole family.

"We are wondering what the hell is going on."

The Telegraph has raised Selina's case with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

They have now said sorry to her.

In a statement, the health board said: "We would like to apologise to Ms Hendry for the wait she has experienced.

"The majority of our patients are seen, given appropriate tests and begin treatment within their guaranteed time of 12 weeks.

"Unfortunately a number of patients awaiting orthopaedic treatment are waiting longer than we would like and we apologise for this.

"We are currently undertaking additional clinics and sending some patients to the private sector to reduce the waiting times.

"The service is seeing patients in date order, unless clinically urgent, which this patient is not considered to be.

"The board has put a number of measures in place to alleviate this and we are working to offer patients the earliest available date."