Finding out that you were never refereed on to specialist after all.?

Knee trouble for long time, had Xrays and saw my doctor who was then supposed to refer me on the the specialist. Several months went by so I asked what was taking so long. Secretary huffed and said she would call me when she found out, which she never did. Couple of months later I went back yet again. This time she seemed flustered and said, that the letter had got 'stuck on the hard drive' of all things, but had found it and had sent it off to the hospital. Again a couple of months later I got fed up with waiting and checked the hospital myself. They have no record of any letter from my GP on their system. She showed me my records on her computer and she was right, nothing there at all, if there were I would be on the system and a letter would have gone out to me automatically if I had been, regardless of the wait to see the specialist. Since waiting so long the pain in my knees has become almost unbearable and mobility has become worse. I feel really let down and don't like that this practice don't take my problem seriously not to mention that they have blatantly lied to me on two separate occasions now. Should I make a formal complaint?