Does anyone have any ideas how I can access someone to diagnose an issue with my hands?

I have hard lumps on the CMC joint at the base of the thumb on both hands. They weren't painful at all when they appeared but have become more painful since. I am supposed to have appointments with Rheumatology in Galway every 6 months because of Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was last seen there in August and asked about these lumps. They thought it was probably osteoarthritis so sent me for an x ray.

Took months to get them to send xray results to my GP and it isn't osteoarthritis. It just said I have cysts in my wrist - I don't know if this is the cause of the lumps or something separate. (I don't know if where they are counts as the wrist and also the lumps are hard.) No one will talk to me or explain anything. I tried going to the GP but was a complete waste of time.

My next appoinment was scheduled for April but yesterday I got a letter that it had been cancelled and moved to September (so more than a year after my my most recent appointment.) I am honestly grateful that I am in the system at all and that I am someone they can afford to reschedule as not an emergency but I am really worried about this issue as if this continues to get worse and affects my thumb mobility it could really affect my ability to make an income.

I phoned the secretary of my consultant's private practice to see if I could see someone privately but she said the waiting list is even longer in the private system than in the public. I don't even know if a rheumatologist is the right person to see for this issue but no one will advise me.

Does anyone have any ideas? I wouldn't mind travelling to see someone privately somewhere else but not sure if that would mean I'd lose my appointments in the public system altogether and I can't afford to go private long term.

Sorry this is so long.