"Unhelpful male on phone"

I did not visit the hospital as am full of cold with a chest infection, and have always been told to stay away under these circumstances.Yesterday my mother was taken to the LRI with low blood pressure and high blood sugars. This morning a female rang and asked me what Insulin my mother was on. This afternoon I rang the LRI to clarify where my mum was and what would be happening. I was told she was on the AFU Ward (but given as EFU!) so rang there to enquire. Firstly the man who answered the phone told me she wasn't on the ward. When I asked how I go abut finding her, he suddenly realised she was there after all!

That didn't exactly install confidence. I enquired as to her condition etc and was told I could not get that information over the phone I would have to attend the ward. I thought it was clear to anyone who was listening to me I had a chest infection and was full of cold, but just to be on the safe side, mentioned this to the man, citing hospital statements not to attend if you are ill, so as not to pass on infections. I asked how I was to proceed, and was told that was my decision to make. So I asked if he was advocating that a sick person comes to the ward just to enquire about the health of their other sick relative, and was told he couldn't comment, it was my decision to make, but it was down to patient confidentiality. Considering there was no question about patient confidentiality when the staff rang me, I'm somewhat bemused there is no reciprocal arrangement. I was not even offered the option of someone calling me back to discuss my mother's condition. So, as I doubt my own infection will not be clear for at least 4 more days, I have no idea how my mum is thanks to some chap who doesn't quite seem to have fully grasped what's happening on the ward on which he is working, and most certainly doesn't possess a grain of customer service. Gonna be an interesting phone call when they want something from me. Severely not impressed by total lack of empathy, understanding or consideration.