How do I rebook cancelled NHS appointment???

[NoFUturREforYOU]

I'm sure other people must be in the same position, so I am hoping someone can help me.
NHS appointment we've been first on the list for for months, nearly a year has been cancelled because the day it falls on clashes with that day everything is standstill.
Can't get through to the department.
Can't get through to rebook, lines say it's busy.
Need a special login to book online, but don't have as for a child.
Only have the appointment date, NHS number, doctor, department etc.
I can't wait another year for this appointment, which is how long we've been top of the list.

Has anyone managed to get through and rebook please?

I don't think it's me lacking empathy here. You're not the only one that will have been inconvenienced here.
The funeral was arranged for Monday because it is day 10. Simple as. If she'd died 24 hours later the funeral would be on the Tuesday and it would be different people it would be inconveniencing. I was sympathetic but your remark about comparing a dead 96 year old with a living child is ridiculous.

Anf of it was on à Sunday it would.inconvenience far less people.

Do go away.

Rude or what. I gave you advice. As numerous other people have. You absolute small minded, rude ... person. Are you 'me me me me me' in real life as well? It will get you nowhere in life and is probably why you're waiting 2 years or whatever for this appointment. There's only you that's important in this isn't there? No one else is being inconvenienced, just you.
And no I won't go away. You're pathetic.

Wow OP I had sympathy for you until you started being downright rude.

I get the frustration as I said Ds has had a massive appointment changed and the idea of it being months to rearrange was worrying.

but don’t let your worry make you rude and disrespectful. Whenever it was the funeral was going to change things, that’s just the way of it.

Why would hospital appointments be less effective on a Sunday?

All the appointments I have re-arranged today have been re-arranged to next week or the week after.

All were understanding. And if anyone would have said that their appointment was more important than a dead 96 year old woman, they might have been waiting a lot longer.

This. If the OP speaks to people in real life the way she has on here it's no wonder she's been waiting so long for this appointment!

Our hospital would send out a letter with a new date, probably within a week. It’s surprisingly efficient.

Phone the secretary. If there is no number on appointment letter phone the hospital switchboard and ask to speak to secretary of whatever dept you need. I’m a med secretary and rebook stuff like this all the time. You may have already been rebooked automatically? That’s what normally happens if hospital cancels.

@Shinyandnew1 because most admin staff bar A&E reception and possibly ward Clark’s do not work on the weekends. At least this is the case where I work. Appointments wouldn’t get booked on the weekend

I think there’s a typo and the intended word was affected.

ie - if they had HM funeral on Sunday it would have affected fewer and appointments

This happens all the time for other reasons (such as specialist being ill and clinic having to be cancelled) there will be procedure for it as it will be a whole day of patients, probably all who have waited as long as you. It is frustrating but it is one of those things. Try not to panic, I think your understandable stress is sending you into a spiral of expecting the worst. hopefully you will have another appt within a week or two, otherwise complain to PALS then.

Neuro is a nightmare. I couldn’t make a neuro appointment booked for my son in July & the next available was end of September. They also couldn’t book it in July when I tried to rearrange because clinic dates are only released 6 weeks in advance & all were full,, so they didn’t know when the next block would be released. When my son was elsewhere in the country it was a 2 year wait for the neurologist he needed to see.

So I totally get the frustration. I hope you hear about the new appointment soon. If it is another long wait do contact PALS, although ime they also move at a snail’s space (& didn’t seem that happy with my complaint - they were quite obstructive & terse - , although it was resolved in my favour, in part because the parliamentary committee on human rights used my son’s case as an example of what not to do - so don’t be put off making a complaint after you have waited so long).

Write an actual letter 😱 I had to do this a couple of months ago - had already discussed at previous appointment that we may be away for next one, they gave me a specific email address to rearrange, tried that a couple of times, rang different numbers but no-one knew what to do if they even answered, tried a different email address. Letter to the correct department explaining was the successful method.

If you know the consultants name then you can probably guess their email. It is likely to be [email protected] or [email protected]

I'd try emailing them.

We had one. I got an email yesterday pushing it back a month (specialist ND). Also waiting months for it. Am furious about the whole monarchy charade stuff because usually it just rumbles on in the background and doesn't impact me so I just grit my teeth and wait for a vote on becoming a republic.

I understand your frustrations, some departments go straight to answer phone and never return the call. I emailed PALs when I couldn't get through on the phone for months and they were surprisingly helpful and sorted the problem.
My granddaughter has had issues with appointments being cancelled at the last minute and despite being top of the queue waited 3 years for her follow up appointment. My daughter was often ringing and would be told she is at the top of the list. She finally tracked down an email, put all information in it, and 5 days later was given an appointment that wasn't subsequently cancelled and the overdue surgery was arranged. I think a paper trail rather than phone may be most effective.

I feel so sorry for you OP. I work in the NHS in a clinical role patient facing and we are normally a service that is not open bank holidays. But we are not cancelling our patients on the 19th. I understand that some might have childcare issues but not all staff will and the blanket cancellation of appointments is not right. I find in incredible that so much is being cancelled. And I agree with you that your living child is the most important person here.

Phone the trust/hospital and ask to be put through to appointments. They should be able to help you