"NHS Lothian ENT Out Patients Appointment Process"

I experience frustrating dealings with NHS Lothian ENT Out Patients Appointment Line today.

I was given the following information:

"Here is your clinic appointment. If you can't make it please call to arrange another more suitable time. "

So I call, and they offer me the same date. So I say I can't do that date so they say they will cancel it and put me back on the waiting list as they only have a 6 week portal and don't have any other appointments in that time.

So I ask if there are cancellations.

They said no and explained that they don't have resources to go out to everyone when there is a cancellation, and that you just go back on the waiting list. 

It's not an urgent appointment and I'm not going to be pushy but it totally frustrates me at the inefficiency in the whole process. Why send me a letter saying phone and rearrange if they can't then offer alternatives!

Last time I had to attend a (different) clinic they wrote saying they received my referral and I should phone to make an appointment. That seems a much better process as it could be a computer generated standardised letter, they only have one stamp to pay for, the onus is then on me to organise a suitable date and any cancellations - even at short notice - can be filled up so not wasting time and appointments.