"Contacting RDH"

It's Tue. afternoon, 1 Sept., 3.30pm. I've just tried to contact the RDH through switchboard so that I could be put through to the Oral & Maxillofacial Outpatients Dpt. I've been on the phone, allegedly waiting for 'an operator' to answer my call, for 15 mins!!! In the meantime I've been able to sit at my computer trying to find alternatives to get through. I decided to try LRCH instead hoping their switchboard could put me through... No answer there either. Continued my search and came upon a number that might have some relation to the dpt. I wanted so rang that instead. Thankfully it happened to be the right dpt. and a very nice memeber of staff helped me with my query. However, I dread to think what happens to people who are not able to access the internet or are unable to think of creative ways to solve a problem like this. I don't know what the working times are for switchboard operators or what their work ethics are, but this was not a helpful experience.