"No appointments ever available"

I would like to know how to get an appointment - other than being told to ring back at 8am the next day. It is usual to be at number 20 on average on the waiting call list, and that is when the phone does appear to be "open", usually 9am onwards. Sometimes after getting to the top of the queue the line goes dead.

For the last 2 months I have been trying to make an appointment and only succeeded once by actually calling in to reception where the person on the desk took pity on me and managed to get an appointment with one of the nurses. I have had 2 visits to the walk in centre at Colchester and at last seen a doctor who appears to have correctly identified the infection problem and prescribed medicine whilst also outlining what should happen next and what important tests I should ask my GP to arrange for. 

Just how do I communicate?