"Rude rude reception staff. "

I rang up the hospital yesterday and spoke to the “operator”. She was so incredibly rude. The call was 1.24pm- should you wish to listen to it. I asked her if she could tell me where my uncle is, she said she would put through to patient relation or something similar to that. Before transferring me she said “maybe you should ask his family”!!!! She transferred me as soon as she finished saying it so I didn’t have chance to reply.

What a disgusting thing to say to someone who’s worried about a family member- I am his family! I’m his niece!!! And what an accusation to make after I’ve spoken just 1 or 2 sentences to her, and I was very polite.

After being transferred to the next lady, she was also rude in her tone. I get she has to abide by the rules, I just don’t know why they have to be so harsh. My uncle is nearly 90. He’s very poorly. My dad (his brother) has been to his house twice and hospital once with no luck of finding him. Eventually I was told he has been moved to ‘emergency accommodation’ yet would not tell me where as i am not his next of kin. We believe his next of kin is either an ex wife he hasn’t been married to for years and years or his daughter who’s turned up in his life in the last year after 40 years of no contact, after finding out my uncle has dementia. She is keeping my uncles whereabouts a secret due to her worry of his assets etc. We just want to see my uncle before he dies. My dad is absolutely heart broken he could potentially never see his family again, and all the while your employees are making snarky comments without knowing the whole situation. After hanging up the phone I cried. I couldn’t believe how I was just spoken to. I understand that there are rules in place to protect patients etc but you can still speak to someone nicely. I spoke to both of them nicely throughout. You can listen to the phone call and hear.