"Appointments"

I would like to make a complaint about the appointment system. I was sent a letter with an appointment and unfortunately, I was going to be out of the country on that date. I phoned to make a different appointment and was told it would be another 3-4 month wait and that I'd receive a letter. I asked if I could request an appointment any time except for January, as I'd be away then. I was told that no, that wasn't possible. When I hadn't received a new appointment date, I phoned to check if one had been made - it had and it was for the 14 January, which I can't attend. If I hadn't have phoned to check, I wouldn't have received the letter until December, which seems counterproductive to people planning ahead to be able to attend their appointment.

The person on the phone was quite dismissive and rude and said I would most probably be discharged. I spoke to a friend who said that some people may assume this means they've been discharged because they no longer have an issue that requires following up. Luckily, I work in the health area, I'm health-literate and I'm motivated to ensure that I follow up to receive the test that my doctor has referred me for. Because of these reasons, I've decided to go private. The reason I'm writing this is because there are many people who are not in the same situation as me, and would end up just not attending their appointment and never having their symptoms followed up.

Whilst I appreciate it is a free public service, surely there is a more effective way to make appointments.