Is the NHS still "Fit for purpose"

I had a similar experience with an Xray appointment in Bath, not my local hospital but not far away by car. I went into the Xray department and it was quite busy, this was December time, I too was typically early by 30 minutes. Imagine my surprise when I was called in within 10 mins having already expected to be at least a half hour wait, didn't even have time to open my reading material i'd taken with me.

I got my results within a few days, all clear thankfully considering how much exposure to asbestos etc in my early career.

My wife and I recently took part in a recent local scheme to check for lung cancer etc (its nearly been 4 weeks so I'm guessing , fingers crossed still, i'll get an all clear on Sat as they suggested they would call me back within two weeks if there was an issue, 4 weeks to give me all clear) I think this was a country wide scheme and apart from the xray before christmas I'd not had a CTscan before. Very interesting experience especially having to hold one's breath for periods which I was surprised how long one can do this sort of thing for.

My experiences medically so far in Wiltshire have been nothing but very positive. I guess we are lucky compared to many across the country. The green trees and rural outlook helps too ;-)

I have fluctuating energy levels that the medicos have never been able to fully explain, and on Tuesday had a series of blood tests at the local hospital.

I was surprised to get a phone call from the hospital at lunchtime today to say it was sending a courier with high-strength Vitamin D tablets - on a Sunday. I did say that I was taking some low-strength tablets (400iu) but apparently I needed something stronger. A few hours later, I had another call to ask if anyone could collect them from the hospital, six miles away. I said that I was coming in anyway on Wednesday, but the lady seemed to think that wasn't soon enough, and confirmed that a courier would deliver them.

The pills arrived by taxi. (When I took a taxi home from the hospital on Tuesday it cost £22.50.) They're 800iu Colecalciferol (Vitamin D3) which, it seems, I can buy over-the-counter. On Wednesday my GP had texted to advise that I should buy 1000iu Vit D tablets

I'm very impressed that there were staff on duty on a Sunday to ring me and arrange a courier, but wonder if the Vit D insufficiency needed such an urgent response. Some non-NHS websites even suggest that my existing level is OK.

I must be missing something ...

Had a letter on Saturday asking me to make a routine appointment to discuss a letter from the hospital.

So I ring this morning number 15 in queue, 2 minutes later number 1 !

get through and explain, "Oh sorry we have no routine appointments available, you need to ring back tomorrow afternoon, or Thursday when we release more" So I explained I'd rung twice last week and been cut off after over an hour ( I think I've damaged a rib and need some stronger painkillers and a professional opinion ). "oh I don't understand that, let me look"
"ah I have a free appointment on 21st August, do you want 8:30, 8:40, 9:00 or 10"

So I've taken the 9:00 with a note that I need to discuss the letter from the hospital and my rib issue

but for pity's sake over 3 weeks to get an appointment, given that I've had the problem with my ribs for nearly 2 weeks now I feel justified in going to A&E if I don't start to feel better in the next few days.

oh and the prerecorded bit when you ring in still refers to "changing the way we are working due to covid" 

Except for the minor detail that this is an incompetent private business, under fixed-price (per patient) contract to the NHS.