"Talking to a non-qualified person about my health"

I need a prescription for a Hydrocortisone cream, a steroid for allergic reaction on my skin caused by a medicated face mask. I went to my pharmacy, where I was advised that they All at pharmacy had the same bad allergic reaction to a batch of face masks last week, and that I need a Hydrocortisone cream, which is only available on prescription. I went to my surgery only to be told that there no doctor's appointments for the next 2 weeks, that I can try calling surgery everyday at 8 am by phone to get emergency appointment. well, it is almost impossible to get through on the phone at 8am, tried it several times before.

The Surgery advised me to call NHS 111 number.

I called that number, went through many hoops with the automated queuing system for almost 7 minutes. A consultant answered my call. They asked me at least 10 questions, first to verify who I was, then about my health problem. In the end they advised to call my surgery and see my GP in order to get a prescription for Hydrocortisone cream,

I told this person that I cannot get an appointment with my GP even for next week and I cannot get a prescription for more than a week. That the problem was with the surgery and the staff working in the reception, who were completely unhelpful, and doing nothing at all to help me.

I found this interaction with NHS-111 pointless. I felt  it abused my trust, because I spoke to a person who is just a telephone operator, with no medical qualifications what so ever.

This person read out a lot of pointless questions, that have Nothing to do with my health problem.

In the end this person tells me to telephone my surgery and book an appointment with your GP.

Basically, I spoke to someone who knows Nothing about health or medications. I told them my personal health problems, but this person is not equipped in any way what so ever to help me with my medical problem because this person is not a doctor. This person is not even an experienced nurse - it is absolutely Nobody in terms of health/ medical issues.

Now, that I look back on the conversation I had with this nobody, I feel angry because I should have asked who I was speaking to at the very beginning of conversation.

I do not know why I trusted NHS, that I would be speaking with a professional, medical person about my health and my personal details. I consider that my trust was betrayed.

What is the purpose of talking to a Non-Qualified person about my health problems?

The Non-Qualified person employed by NHS could not help me in any way with my predicament - namely - I need a prescription for Hydrocortisone cream, because they are not a qualified doctor.

Yet, I told them at the very beginning that I needed a prescription for a steroid cream.

They should have told me at the beginning that they could not give me a prescription, because they were not a doctor, instead of going through the entire rigmarole of irrelevant questions - to tell me at the end to telephone my Surgery and ask to see my GP.

Round and round we go - that was my outcome from NHS 111

The Surgery tells its patient to call NHS 111, and NHS 111 tells the patient to call the surgery.

Round and round we go - no wonder there are more and more people suffering mental health issues - this alone can drive one round the bend.

A Very Frustrated, Angry and Disappointed NHS patient

I am sure one of many millions Very Frustrated, Angry and Disappointed NHS patients.

The whole system is disintegrating !

I feel on my own and that I will not get help from the NHS Surgery when I need it

I may get help in a hospital, but I must be close to dying.