Another chat with the NHS
ME: I need to clarify the date of my appointment with Dr X. I’ve had four letters - three on the same day - stating two different dates.
NHS Operator: The appointment is on November 23.
ME: So the one on the 29th has been cancelled?
NHS Operator: Not cancelled. We don’t say cancelled. It was changed. By you.
ME: Nope. I just received three letters one day, telling me that I have an appointment on the 23rd, but nowhere did the letter indicate that this was a change.
NHS Operator: It says right here, “Changed by the patient.”
ME: It may say that, but it is incorrect. I never changed a thing.
NHS Operator: Well, anyway, we don’t say cancelled.
ME: It’s less important to me what words you use than it is when Dr X is expecting to see me.
NHS Operator: The 23rd.
ME: Thank you very much, I appreciate you clearing up the confusion.
You might wonder why I didn’t just show up on the 23rd (as if I’ve nothing better to do than sit around a zero-star hospital getting airborne infections) and hope that was the date they were expecting me, but then you’ve probably never dealt with the National Health Service.
Filed under: Life, Politics, The State Is Not Your Friend