"Ophthalmology and my 96-year-old Father's Eyedrops"

Dad's regular eyedrops became unavailable.

Two pharmacies tried hard to get them ringing several different suppliers.

They were still unavailable after a couple of weeks (although the pharmacies were still hopeful, but only hopeful, of possibly getting them in a week or so).

I rang Weston Ophthalmology to get a message to Dad's consultant.

The secretary told me to try a different pharmacy (and gave the name).

I then spent 40 mins ringing round pharmacies being referred from one to another.

All said the drops were currently unavailable but some were hopeful of possibly getting them in a week or so.

I rang back to Ophthalmology.

The secretary asked how much was left of Dad's current drops.

I said I couldn't really tell as they are drops (it's not like tablets) and you can't see through the bottle, but I said I thought he had a few days left.

The secretary said "We do need to be given some warning".

I was annoyed.

I had done everything right: put the request in to the surgery in good time; given the surgery plenty of time to do the script as they request; given the pharmacy time to put up the drops and then to try various suppliers when it was realised they were unavailable; I had tried a different pharmacy; and now spent time ringing round many more pharmacies.

I told the secretary how inappropriate the remark was and got an apology.

A script for a different type of drops was done.

But when we collected it we realised they contained the same drug (although a different strength & dose) as drops Dad had been put on by the Eye Hospital last year and taken off almost immediately by Weston Hospital, possibly because his eye pressure was increasing.

My sister & I decided to query this - better to be safe than sorry.

I rang Ophthalmology again and for some reason was put on to PALS.

They said someone would call me back.

No one has.

What should have been a straightforward matter of letting the consultant know of difficulty getting prescribed drops has turned into another debacle.

It is not possible to give more than a few days warning in a situation like this.

The secretary's remark was unnecessary and thoughtless.