"Still waiting for surgery"

I was referred to South Metropolitan Health Service about 8 months ago for general surgery. My referral has been accepted as a Priority 2 which I understand means that my surgery should have happened within 3 months. Not only has my surgery not happened, but it also hasn't been scheduled, I don't have an appointment, and I haven't received even one piece of information saying how much longer I'll be waiting.

I've been to the GP who can do nothing. In the meantime, I've been taking medication daily that I understand may compromise other organs in an effort to manage pain.

I know the public system is swamped, but I feel the lack of keeping me (and I believe other patients) informed is atrocious. It's so sad that all I am able to do is wait until the pain is unbearable, present to my local emergency department who might declare it an emergency and then I believe use thousands more in public funds getting RFDS transport to Perth and emergency surgery. I feel the system isn't working.