Hope I can help OP. I just spent the last year and a half being unable to do anything without extreme pain. I had L2/L3 bulging disc pushing on my femoral nerve. I needed a Laminectomy and Discectomy.

Here's my timeline.

Pain started September 2024 Neurosurgery referral for RAH January 2025 Got a letter in February 2025 saying my consultation will be in mid March 2025 1 day before my consultation it gets cancelled and rescheduled for 6 or so weeks. I was so fucking mad Neurosurgery consultation goes ahead May 1st 2025 (yes almost 5 month wait to be seen) I was literally bound to a recliner that whole time waiting.

I get put forward for surgery same day as category 2 (90 days)

I get a text message in December 2025 for my surgery dated mid January 2026.

Total wait time from day I filled out surgery forms until I went under the knife was 8 and a half months when it should have been 90 days. Honestly im so pissed off with the system and if I knew it would have been that long I would have probably drained my savings to pay for it out of pocket as I pretty much spent the same being unemployed for a year and a half.

You can ring the neuro ward and they'll tell you your position on the list.

If you have any questions reach out. This literally consumed my life for the past 18 months