"Why does no-one answer phones"

I have been trying all day to get a response from the mammography department. At one point someone picked up the phone only to tell me they couldnt help me when I said I wanted to change an appointment date for my Mum who has dementia! They said she had to call herself. I wish she could. They then proceeded to put the phone down on me. I wanted to change date as she has another appointment at the PRUH a few days later. How can you run a hospital if no-one answers the telephone. At least install an answerphone so people can call another number or leave a message so that they can be contacted. I work in a very busy south london intensive care unit and was shocked by this unhelpful and callous attitude. Sorry about the rant but I am really frustrated as I am too trying to do my job and having to stop every 15 minutes to try and get through to non-answering department. If this is the standard of your care you are failing miserably!