I RECENTLY attended Trowbridge Hospital and was given a date for a follow-up appointment. Yesterday I received a telephone call from the hospital Appointment Confirmation Unit to confirm the appointment, which is not until next week.

I was required to press one or two buttons to receive the confirmation.

Confirmation of appointments is useful and must save many missed appointments but the hospital system seems very heavy-handed.

My dentist and chiropodist also have reminder systems but merely a quick call from the receptionist the day before the appointment, and this would seem to be a far more economical method, and making the call the day before far more useful.

A few years ago I needed appointments at the RUH.

Their system was for a telephone call to arrange the appointment at a convenient day and time for both myself and the hospital department. A few days later I would receive a confirmation letter containing all the information needed.

However, this was not complicated enough for the plethora of managers and they started “giving patients choice” by sending out a several-pages-long document listing local hospitals you could attend, including RUH.

On phoning the number given I found that I was speaking to a call centre in Milton Keynes and when I asked to be treated at Devizes hospital I was informed that all their appointments were organised through the RUH.

I have had nothing but excellent treatment from NHS medical staff but the administration leaves a lot to be desired. I suspect that there are too many managers (there are even bed managers) and they need to keep inventing new systems to justify their jobs.

GEOFFREY RICHARDS

Ashton Lodge

Ashton Road

Hilperton

Trowbridge