How would you respond?

There was a theme to my interaction with the nursing staff of the King George Hospital today which, I think, illustrates a fundamental problem with the NHS as it currently exists. Here, I'll let the conversations speak for me:

"Morning. I'm here for a 9am ultrasound."
"Do you have a bottle of water with you?"
"?! Um, no. No-one mentioned anything about a bottle of water."
"Never mind. Just follow the signs to the waiting area."

"Morning. I'm here for a 9am ultrasound."
"Have you checked in at the front desk?"
"?! Um, no. No-one mentioned checking in at the front desk. The nurse who sent me here mentioned water, but nothing else."
"Never mind. It's a bit of a hassle, but I'll get you checked in. Just go inside and wait for the doctor."

"Hi again. Thanks for that."
"That's okay. Have you made a follow-up appointment with the specialist?"
"?! Um, no. No-one mentioned I had to make any further appointments."
"Never mind. Just go to the Outpatient desk when you're done here and make an appointment."

Sticks out like a sore thumb on a duck, doesn't it? There seems to be this assumption on the part of the entire NHS that everyone in the machine knows the procedure without having to be told. I guess, in many cases, the patients are so institutionalised by the amount of time they have to spend enduring the process that this may well be true, but I'd still put money on the bulk of us being occasional visitors needing a little assistance.

The icing on this particular medicinal cake came when I reached the Outpatient desk:

"Hm, let me see. Nope, nope, nothing there either, May is solid, nope... I can get you an appointment in July, will that be okay?"

Okay?! What a ridiculous question to ask. I can hardly argue for an earlier appointment if his schedule truly is that full, so I have to assume she was asking if I'd prefer to wait even longer.

"Actually, my diary's jammed solid until April 2008. Can I see him then?"

Gah.