"making telephone appointment"

Having received a letter from the outpatients orthapeadics department at Southend Hospital I telephoned to make an appointment . The reply was I will see if there are any appointments! The person who I spoke to was very curt and just kept repeating that the doctor only did two surgeries a week. I did take the only appointment I could take from two offered . my complaint is that at first point of contact the NHS should be helpful, kind and patient. not over talking, curt and condescending as they are talking to people who are not very well and also customers. I have already been to xrays and I first experienced pain February this will have taken nearly six months before I even see the correct doctor. Is this really within the correct timescales?