More chaotic/time-wasting NHS admin

What is needed is quietly assertive consultants.

We took DD to the local hospital for a booked operation. At great inconvenience we booke in at 7.00 am as requested. When we got to the fron tof the queue and said her name, there was clearly a problem, but we were told to go and sit in the waiting room, which we did. An hour or so later we were called back to the desk and there was DD's consultant.

We were told that his session had been cancelled the previous day, but for some reason neither she nor another patient had been notified. They had also forgot to inform the consultant, who was there and ready for his surgery slot.

He stood at the desk and politely but firmly made it clear, that he was there, two of his patients were there and he intended to operate on both as planned - and he did!

I recently experienced treatment at the hospital I work in. I received a notification for an appointment via the new (and very expensive) electronic patient record system. It had a 'greyed out' reply button, meaning there was no way of letting them know electronically whether or not I was attending.
3 days later I received, in the post, a paper copy for the same appointment.
Back at work I sent an email to the 'good ideas' department (yes there is one...!) and suggested that for patients who have signed up for the electronic record system there should be a built in way of acknowledging receipt of the appointment and a confirmation of attendance button. If no such acknowledgment is received after say 3 days then it should automatically trigger an appointment letter to be sent.
Amazingly they took up my suggestion, although lord knows why they couldn't have thought this up themselves when building that particular aspect of the system......!

What I don't understand is why in this day & age the hospitals dont send texts or email. Why use snail mail more expensive.
My doctor and the pharmacist both use text & email.

Just had an email from the surgery about a health review. the form instructed me to choose a suitable appointment from the selection below.

The form listed one date and one time. I assumed that I must be able to scroll down for alternative dates, but no, it is that date/time or ring(sigh) the surgery to make an alternative appointment.

I might go down your road Supertinny and email Admin, suggesting a change, but i am not hopeful.

I attended a local "wound clinic" after surgery to have my wound dressed, 7 times in two weeks, after every appoinment I got a text asking me to complete their online survey. Happy to do so, great service, except the link was broken. I also get annoyed at letters confirming appoinmtents I've made over the phone for which I received an instant text.