"Really dire communications between reception..."

I had an appointment in Rheumatology Outpatients yesterday. I arrived in good time for my appointment, went straight to the reception desk to check in and sat down right in front of the desk. I waited over 40 mins before turning to the desk and asking when I was going to be seen. A nurse went in to the consultant to discover that the consultant had no record of my arrival on her computer, but my paperwork was there. So a) the receptionist had not logged my arrival on the system and b) the consultant hadn't checked the pile of paperwork and matched it to the computer record and then queried my non-appearance. If I hadn't asked what was going on, I could have been there all day, sitting right in front of reception. This is despite the fact that my weight, blood-pressure, etc., had all been assessed and a 'receipt' printed off by a very slow-moving nurse shortly after my arrival and submitted with my paperwork, so I was clearly physically 'there'...with a heartbeat...

The two reception staff members just sat there, gossiping and criticising other members of staff, for the whole time I was sitting waiting, right in front of them. I was eventually seen, over an hour after my appointment time had passed.

Later, I discovered that I had left a wrist splint in the consulting room and tried to telephone Rheumatology Outpatients to secure its whereabouts - it cost me £10 to purchase it and I need it back, one way or the other. R Outpatients did not answer the phone - after ringing and ringing, I was cut off. I tried again this morning. Nobody can get through to them, apparently. I ended up being put through to the Rheumatology Ward by the operator, in desperation on my behalf, and apparently they can never get through to this reception desk either. The staff just sit there with the phones ringing and don't bother - you have to go down there in person to get anything from them.

It will be over two hours' round trip by bus for me to get my splint back, if they haven't just taken it and added it to their own stock. I will be really really furious if it 'isn't there' when I get there...