"Impossible to get through, could die trying."

I only contact the Surgery on behalf of my elderly parents who are well into their 80's. It is never possible to get through by phone. They don't do anything in the way of pre-emptive care either unless they are called. The only way I've been able to contact the Surgery is via their online process where I am able to leave urgent messages for the doctors. Today a receptionist called me purely to tell me off about this. I asked her as I was already on the phone to her if an appointment could be booked for my mother who really has not been well for the past few days. She said I had to call back at 8:00am the next morning and said that they tell all the patients to call at the same time ... what logic and no wonder no one can get through. She then went on to say she could not get through to me with that message and rudely put the phone down. It would have been more sensible, in a situation like this, to book a telephone slot with one of the GPs and that is all I wanted for my my mother who has worsening heart failure and possible urine infection, but instead she proceeded to argue with me about the Surgery's rules (which seem completely illogical to me) and said I should complain to the Manager Julie. Once you do get to see a doctor though, they are quite good and attentive. Perhaps, the manager needs to look again at the 'rules' and the appointment system. The online system does have a section where patients can send messages and this ought to be adopted especially when you never have enough staff to cover all the calls.