"Terrible telephone speciality number service"

My child has controlled epilepsy. Mercifully, my child has been seizure free for the last three years thanks to six strong tablets a day. We have been grateful for the regular NHS consultations.

Last summer we received a letter stating that my child's yearly appointment at Amersham hospital had been cancelled 'due to unforeseen circumstances.' The same letter reassured us that 'your child will still be treated within 18 weeks'.

Having heard nothing in over 24 weeks, I called Amersham hospitals telephone speciality number, expecting an apology and a new appointment.

Instead I was informed that as my child had turned 18 in the time between the hospitals cancellation and now, no information could be given except to tell me no appointment was on the computer.

I explained that I didn't want information, I wanted to book a replacement appointment as the hospital had failed to do so.

I explained that my child is in full time education - and leaves for school before Amersham hospital's line opens and returns home after it is shut. It is impractical for my child to contact them.

I explained that it is vital to keep an eye on my child's health at a crucial time in their education so close to taking A levels.

I explained that we already have written permission from our child at our local GP's to collect repeat prescriptions etc

I explained that I was trying to re-book an appointment that had been cancelled by the hospital when they were still officially a child.

I thought that Amersham hospital's telephone operative was brusque, unhelpful, arrogant and entirely lacking in compassion. I seemed that they were trying to get me off the phone as quickly as possible. They did not help. They did not listen. The one suggestion was that I ring another number where I could have data protection explained to me. The strong implication was that if there was no appointment on the system, my child did not need one.

I spent much of the remainder of the day ringing my GP's, first speaking to receptionist then doctors secretary. Fortunately, the secretary was kind enough to want to help and intelligent enough to use her discretion and give me the direct line of our consultants secretary.

When I finally spoke to our consultants secretary, she confirmed that there had indeed been an oversight at Amersham hospital. My child does indeed need to attend the yearly appointment and a new one is being sent to us.

I think amersham hospital's telephone operative had absolutely no right whatsoever to make an implicit judgement about whether my child needed an appointment or not. They were wrong. They were rude. They caused entirely unnecessary concern, anxiety and worry. I feel that they wasted my time and that of 3 other NHS employees.

I would like to complain in the strongest possible terms.

And to suggest that Amersham hospital consider the training and suitablilty of at least one member of their telephone staff. They are the hospital's front line.They have a duty of care. This is not an issue of breaching data protection. I think all Amersham hospital's telephone operative had to do was listen, show some initiative and be kind.