"Telephone experience"

I had to telephone the hospital to find out how my friend, who is in her eighties, was. The person who answered was very brusque. I had asked for reception, but was put through to records, who put me back to the switchboard. The person then told me that there was no one on reception, but gave me the name of the ward where my friend was - why the person on the phone couldn't do that in the first place I do not know. I live in Essex and as I can't visit. I would have liked to know how ill my friend was and how long she was likely to be in, of course as I wasn't a relative they wouldn't tell me anything. My friend has two children who don't live locally and I'm sure would have liked to know that I was asking after her - can't some common sense or decency be employed in these circumstances?