"Lack of information and rude telephone call"

I received a telephone call whilst I was away on holiday regarding my son’s audiology appointment which I had waited months for. The person who called me asked me which I would prefer to go to, Edgware or Finchley. I had my husband sitting next to me at the time so I asked him which one was closest and we opted for Finchley and booked an appointment.

After reading the notes on the back of the confirmation letter I noticed that there were in fact three sites for paediatric audiology, one of which was St Michael’s site in Enfield. So, I called the number on the letter which was for the paediatric audiology and audiovestibular medicine dept at Edgware Community Hospital to ask if I could please have an appointment at the St Michael’s site as this is a stones throw from our house. I felt that the member of staff who took my call was incredibly rude and patronising to me. They firstly asked me why I had not said at the time of the original call that I lived in Enfield so that they could’ve booked it for St Michael’s then. I said that I had not been made aware at the time of booking that St Michaels was even an option for us as otherwise I would’ve of course picked this site being so close.

They then went on to tell me that they make notes on all of their calls made and said that I had never told them that I lived in Enfield. I said that if they just looked at our notes they would see that we lived in Enfield. I asked them if this was the first time someone had called to re-arrange an appointment, with plenty of notice, and they said well normally parents are responsible for bookings and tell us where they live in the first place. I told them they were being incredibly rude to me and I asked for their name and they refused to give this to me. I asked them why they wouldn’t and they said because they didn’t feel they needed to as they were sorting my issue out. They paused for a while whilst they looked for another appointment at St Michael’s and muttered under their breath, we just don’t have that many appointments at this place. They then offered me an appointment which I accepted and they said that a new letter would be sent out to me in the post. I asked them again for their name and they again told me that they weren't going to give it to me. They just said that they didn’t feel that they’d been rude and if that’s just the way I feel.