"Waiting for an appointment"

I was scheduled to have eye surgery (Tear Duct Surgery) and it was cancelled at short notice with a message being left on my answering machine at home. Since then I have tried to find out when my operation may be rescheduled, firstly to be told that the appointments clerk who deals with that consultants list is on holiday and I should ring back in 2 week. This I duly did and now I am told that this person is on long term sick leave. I obviously I have no issue with this, however, I have been told that as she is the only one who books appointments for this consultants and I will have to wait for her to come back from sick leave. This is a bit exasperating. You have been booked for an operation and told you can be called in at short notice, you arrange work and family life, give your mobile number etc and the system falls at the first hurdle.