"Rude receptionist"

I am an infrequent attender to my local GP surgery. I had booked a routine GP appointment for 8.30 one morning, as this would allow me not to miss too much work (I work in a hospital, shift starts at 9.)

Unfortunately the day before my appointment, my senior asked me to rearrange it as they needed me in sharp that day to cover the on-call duties for an unwell colleague. They told me this at 4.30pm.

On finishing work (at 5pm) I phoned the general advice/appointments number to cancel the appointment. The GP surgery shuts at 6pm. I was told that the appointments line was only open from 8.30-9am and 1-3pm and I would have to phone up the next day and this receptionist dealt with emergencies only.

From experience, trying to get through between 8.30am and 9am; it would be easier getting blood from a stone.

I politely explained to the receptionist that as my appointment was for 8.30 by the time I got through I would have been put down as a 'did not attend' and would they mind crossing me off so the GP wouldn't be expecting me?

This was met with, what felt like, much resistance. When I asked for their name, in my opinion, they huffily said fine but don't go trying to rearrange it now and slammed the phone down.

And to think of all the posters telling you all the money missed appointments cost the practice.