"Infusion Clinic/Day Procedure Unit"

Recently my GP emailed a request for an urgent iron infusion. Around 5 days later I phoned as I had not heard from the infusion clinic. The request was still not printed, and  had not been processed. 

I was told that I could have an appointment the following day due to a cancellation. So although I felt it was only due to my call my referral was noted and it was a good result. 

Within minutes I had a phone call back from the Infusion Clinic informing me that my medication wasn't 'approved' for their unit and I would have to speak with Day Proceedure Unit. Before being transferred I spoke with the Nurse Unit Manager and explained I had had my medication infused in their clinic before. I was told because there wasn't a Prompt Policy for my medication in their unit it could not proceed. The only iron drug they are allowed to administer is Ferinject and this has a maximum dose of 1g per session, this means that many anaemic patients need to have 2 infusion appointments to receive a therapeutic volume of the drug.

It seems to me the Infusion Clinic is massively over booked and has significant waiting periods. The next available appointment is around 3 weeks away. My recommended medication only requires 1 appointment to receive my whole dose of my infusion and in my experience I have far less side effects with this medication than with your approved infusion. 

At this point my call was transferred to the Day Procedure Unit. In this call I was told that ' the Infusion Clinic can infuse my medication they just don't read their memos'. I feel this was not professional or supportive of staff in the Infusion Clinic. The person who books appointments is to call me back.

CGH is my local hospital and I have had this infusion on other occasions in the Infusion clinic. My infusion is a PBS medication, it is listed in the injectable medication handbook, there is ample information about this drug on the medicine wise web site, it is not a medication I should have to travel to a private hospital to have infused. I am very intrigued how a local public hospital can't provide this care. I feel your staff need to be supportive of their team members and not speak so unprofessionally about their co workers.

I am now waiting for a call back from someone to see if I can be given my infusion and when it might be able to happen.