"Waiting time on the phone"

I thought you might like to hear about my experience with the Canberra hospital switchboard.  

So the operation anaesthetist asked me to contact endocrinology and ask them what they wanted to do with my insulin (this is a whole other story, also filled with incompetence). I don't know why they just don't contact the department themselves, but they asked me to and report back to them, which I think is pretty dodgy - why can't they just contact the Dr. themselves?

So, I tried calling the switchboard, which I got put on this never-ending loop for 12 minutes, before me being able to get 2 words in to tell them that they were trying to put me through the wrong department (they were going for endocrinology reception instead of the endocrinology clinic). When I managed to get two words in before the next loop started and say that they were trying to put me through to the wrong department, the person asked me, why were they trying to put you through to the other department in the first place? Which I felt was a very good question, and I believe should not be directed at me. 

I then got put through to the right department and spent 15 minutes being called important and told I was first in the queue (on the weird hold music, your call is important to us, automated loop) which I kind of got sick of after the first 3 minutes.  

I then tried doing a direct call to endocrinology using the number (5124 3794), which put me back in that queue of 1 person (me) and I was then called important again and told I was first in the queue for about 5 minutes. 

I have now given up because I feel there is literally no other way for me to contact the department. 

I think it is hilarious, how they thought I would be successful in contacting the endocrinology department when I believe they have access to private e-mails and phone numbers of staff at the hospital and legs to walk down to different departments.  

I think there should be a general email for endocrinology reception because based on my experience, the whole phone thing isn't really their strong suit in my opinion. 

I sent an email instead.