No it isn't difficult. It's simple.

Gaby Hinsliff is a journalist on The Observer (a UK Sunday newspaper). She was told to ring her hospital to arrange an appointment to see a consultant. Read how she got on here.

Don't think that this is unusual because it isn't. Whenever I challenge our local hospitals over their appointment booking telephone facilities (from the latin facile which means "easily, without difficulty") they patiently explain that it is very complicated and they receive lots of calls and they're awfully busy. It is delivered as though it explains why the service is so awful. Well actually Mr ever -so-patronising hospital grandee, it isn't difficult at all.

Lots of calls is lots of demand.
Lots of waiting equals no supply.
You're in charge of supply so do some.

If you don't know how, then get yourself a clipboard and (a) count the calls; (b) measure the average call duration and divide (a) by (b). Tweak the number for holidays and assumed sick leave and abracadabra. This is how many people you need answering the phones at any one time.