"ENT disapointment"

My teenage son was revered by our local GP to the ENT clinic in Harlow and I did have the common sense to call ahead 24h before booking a day of from work and go to the hospital to ask for the procedure. I was told from the switchboard that I didn't need to book an appointment, but should arrive early with him as there would be a long waiting list- but he would be seen on the day. My son had suffered from an ear infection and now had a very painful, blocked ear. I had to inform the school and took him out to see the ENT clinic. On arriving at Harlow we were seen by a nurse who then told us that there would be no way that he would be seen as an emergency patient and that the GP should have contacted the clinic to book him in direct. He was not treated at all and was send home still in pain and agony. Had wasted a day of from school (and lost lesions) and a working day for his parents. Do this people actually talk to each other? Who is making the rules when a patient is an emergency or not? We had a referral letter from our GP clearly saying that he had suffered from and ear infection before the blockage. Does it needs for a teenage boy to loos his hearing before actions are taken? Very, very disappointed and upset as a mother..........