To think rearranging an appointment shouldn't be this difficult?

[Tired756]

My baby is due his next set of jabs, I got an appointment letter 10 days before the appointment. It fell on one of my working days, I work 3 days a week and need 3 weeks notice to book a days holiday, unless I can arrange a shift swap/cover which I couldn't on this day. I rang to try to rearrange for either a day off, or another week notice to try to make arrangements and was told the immunisations nurse would call me back.
I've rung 3 times since to chase it up as I hadn't had a call back, each time the receptionist has apologised and said I will get a call, that they aren't able to rearrange it. At the original appointment time today I got a voicemail (I can't have my phone on me at work so only saw the missed call) trying to rearrange and saying she'll call back tomorrow morning (when I'm also at work). On my lunch break I called the GP surgery, explained that I'm not able to take calls and they've said she will just try calling until she catches me.
This just seems like a waste of the nurses time to me, it's almost impossible getting an appointment at the GP surgery, everyone is stretched too thin, and i feel like I'm wasting the nurse and receptionist time when I just need a different appointment day.

Just tell the receptionist when you are available and ask them to pass this on to the nurse.

I totally agree it's ridiculous I've gone round in circles with the system for every appointment we've been issued.
In my case the number on the letter doesn't even bring you to the appointments system. Instead a random person takes down your details to pass on to someone who can actually rebook (why not just give out their number instead!).
This second person eventually calls back to advise that the booking window only opens 3 weeks in advance. So I can't actually rearrange, and instead will have to wait for a new appointment letter. New letter arrives, I also can't manage that date. And on it goes !

I asked the receptionist if I could do that and she said no I just have to wait for a call back, after explaining I won't be able to take a call other than my lunch break. It seems like a really odd system when presumable a lot of parents will be back to work by the 1 year jabs.