"Trying to contact paediatrics department by telephone"

I have been trying for three successive days to get through to the appointments department (paediatric) at the East Surrey hospital. The phone just rings and rings and you never get to speak to anyone. The mailbox number offers to transfer you to an operator, it never does.

I've spent more than 40 minutes on two days that I have tried, the other day I got through and told there was no one there they were all in meeting, call back next day, this is what I did and still have not got through. The last time the operator answered he then put me through to the wrong department twice, the last being paediatric acute admissions, the lady there told me she would put me through to the right department, guess what, the phone went dead yet again, a full wasted 45 minutes.

I think this is shocking service. The reason I am calling is already because I have had no correspondence from the paediatric department since my gp referred my daughter at the beginning of this month so we have no idea if the gp's referrral has even been acknowledged, let alone an appointment date.