Hospital have rung me 4 times now, leaving no message and I dont know what department

[likelysuspect]

How do I find out who has rung me. No message, no text message. Im under a number of departments or referrals at the moment so I have no clue what it could be about. When you ring the main hospital number it asks of course what department you want to be put through to, I have no idea

Im getting really anxious about it, what do they want?

Nothing on my NHS app.

I missed three calls from the hospital a couple of weeks ago on the third call they left an extension number so I was able to ring back. After the first missed call I thought it must be about a delayed opthalmology appointment and spent about 30 mins trying unsuccessfully to get through to that department but it was something quite different. I hope they manage to get through to you.

they will call again, in the mean time you could call the main switchboard and get the extensions for all of the departments you are under and call them one at a time?

Is there a number for a central appointments team? They would be worth asking. Or PALS could find out.

Maybe check with your GP in case they’ve got a letter or requested something?

I dont really know how to get through to the main switchboard, the voice instructions dont give that option

No the GP will be useless, I can never get through anyway and they simply redirect you to the hospital for any hospital stuff

Its utterly ridiculous that in 2026 hospital departments/wards dont have their own numbers to ring.

Google the hospital, find the main number and ask for PALS. They will be able to help you.

Ive got the main number, its the number that comes up on my phone and the number which asks what department you need. I didnt know PALs was a department so I could try saying that, probablem is I cant really use my phone at work, hence why I miss the calls.

Im not even sure why or how PALs can help, I cant tell them anything other than Ive had missed calls.

If it was urgent they’d text you or contact your GP. Do you have the NHS app, hospital letters and messages can be put on there.

You could try 111 I had a real problem getting through to anyone after my son had fractured his shoulder and left a&e without any follow up appointment
When I explained the situation someone called me back and gave me the information I needed
I must say I was very impressed with their help they even confirmed how much difficulty they had finding someone to speak to : Good luck

Yes I said above nothing on the app

Ive had countless hospital appointments, investigations, scans, tests etc at the hospital, only one hospital letter and one hospital appointment is on the app. Its not fit for purpose.

They do.

I had this then found out it was the school nurse calling about a vaccine appointment!

Call or email Pals for your hospital. Just google the name of the hospital and PALs. This is exactly the kind of thing they can sort quickly for you.

It's a throwback to the days before personal mobile phones. I was told it was a confidentiality breach to not withhold a number in case someone else in the house saw it. It causes no end of headaches for both patients and staff alike and is completely irrelevant now virtually every has their own mobile phone.

I was also told to ring a number, ask for the person's details whilst not giving any details for myself. That goes down about as well as you can imagine with most people.

If you call the main number and say ‘operator’ or ‘switchboard’ or maybe even ‘help’ it should get you through a human

But then say what? Someone is trying to ring me and I dont know who?

My DC school has done this a few times. No message and no one answering the phone. First time I was freaking out imagining accidents etc and it was a stupid admin thing they were checking. Next time I ignored the call thinking they'll call me back if they need to, and it turned out DS was ill. Anyone who calls and doesn't leave a message shouldn't be allowed do that job IMO, there is no excuse for it.

So I have now just spoken to the operator, I have about 30 mins now when I can do some of this, otherwise my phone will be off for the rest of the day again

He said that he has no way of being able to help. The number that came up on the phone is the main number for one hospital, but as the trust has 5 hospitals under it, the phone call could have come from any of those 5 hospitals as it would still show the main one number, not the specific hospital number. He said you just have to wait for them to phone back. I explained my phone is usually off during the day. No response to that comment.

He said PALs would not be able to help, but I can send them a form if I like

He said I could try outpatients but they are shut now until 4pm. They apparently shut between 2 and 4 each day. I did not know this.

Theres no phone number for PALs by the way, its an online form you complete and they'll get back to you within 48 hours.

And it probably wont be 48 hours as theres a little warning on the top of the form that they are receiving 'unprecedented' levels of demand.

Does your answer phone say that it’s yours? Or is it the generic ‘this is the 02 voicemail for 07….’ It’s a risk to leave a message on a generic answerphone as it may be a wrong number or sometimes people give us their partner or other family member’s number which may breach confidentiality.

I work for the NHS and some people complain about everything so it could be this.

Honestly I don’t think they will be able to help, you will probably need to wait until they call back/leave a message/write but I was just responding to your message at 08:38 when you said you didn’t know how to get thru to the main switchboard. Sorry I should have quoted that post.

Yes, its my voice and my name.

Ive now just rung one department that it could be, after pressing various options (and lying in order to go through to those options as Im not ringing about an appointment or about a cancellation), it cut me off.

Change you voicemail to if ringing from the hospital please leave the name of the department you are calling from.