Matt and Jon Halifax say their father, Antony Halifax - who was affectionately called Tony - was left without vital medication after being caught between the hospital and his GP when trying to obtain a repeat prescription.

The 66-year-old collapsed and died at his home in Dussindale, on the outskirts of Norwich, on March 9 last year after suffering a pulmonary embolism - a blood clot that travelled to his lungs.

Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

An inquest heard HGV driver Tony had been prescribed the blood-thinning medication apixaban after doctors at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (N&N) discovered he had developed deep vein thrombosis following brain surgery.

But after running out of the medication just three weeks into a three month course, his family say their desperate attempts to obtain a repeat prescription were met with confusion over who was responsible for issuing it.

They now say a single shared patient record between primary and secondary care could prevent other families experiencing the same ordeal.

Speaking on behalf of the family following an investigation at Norfolk Coroner's Court, Matt said: “We think improved communication between primary and secondary care is vital.

“Neither the doctors nor the hospital seemed willing to chase the prescription.

“It was putting more pressure on Dad having to chase medication on the phone and online but it still never came.

"Of course we will always wonder if he would still be here now had he got the drugs he'd been prescribed."

Tony, who was born in Malta on August 28, 1958, was the husband of Caroline Halifax and lived with his family at Mary Chapman Close.

Norfolk Coroners Court at County Hall in Norwich. (Image: Denise Bradley)

The inquest heard he had been in good health until November 2024, when he suffered a seizure and was rushed to hospital.

Tests later revealed he had a brain tumour and he underwent surgery at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, in December 2024.

After returning home Tony remained frail and in January suffered another seizure which resulted in him being admitted to the N&N.

During that hospital stay doctors discovered he had developed a blood clot in his leg, known as deep vein thrombosis, which they believed had been triggered by his recent surgery and a period of immobility.

He was started on anticoagulant medication, including oral apixaban, to prevent the clot worsening or travelling to his lungs.

Consultant neurologist Dr Martin Lee told the hearing Tony had also been receiving steroids to reduce swelling on the brain and anti-seizure medication.

Tony remained in hospital until February 3, when he chose to discharge himself against medical advice.

“He was warned it was not in his best interests to leave,” Dr Lee told the hearing, adding that Tony had capacity to make the decision and his wife and sons were aware he had chosen to leave hospital without waiting for the prescribed medication.

When patients are discharged, the hospital normally provides between two and four weeks’ supply of medication and a discharge summary letter is sent to the patient’s GP requesting they continue the repeat prescription.

But in Tony’s case the discharge summary was never completed.

Dr Lee said the "sudden and unexpected discharge" meant the letter was being prepared by a student doctor and had not been finished.

He acknowledged the "pressures" within the hospital system.

“There are significant time pressures due to the speed and number of discharges every day,” he added.

Tony’s son Matt later returned to the ward and collected the medication, which included a three-week supply of apixaban.

However when that medication ran out the family said they struggled to obtain more.

Nine days before Tony’s death, his family submitted an urgent request to his GP surgery asking for the prescription to be renewed.

But Thorpewood Medical Group had no record that the medication had been prescribed.

Dr Richard Hampsheir, Tony’s GP, told the hearing: “I had no awareness he had been prescribed apixaban. There was no information on his records and no letters had been received from the hospital.”

The family contacted the surgery on February 24 and again on February 27 asking for the medication.

Thorpewood Medical Group did not receive a discharge summary (Image: Google Maps)

But because no discharge summary had been received electronically, the GP said the surgery could not issue a repeat prescription.

The family were advised to contact the hospital that had originally prescribed the medication.

Matt said the situation left his father stuck between the two services.

“My dad was ringing Thorpewood, then the hospital, then Thorpewood again,” he told the hearing.

Dr Hampsheir later discovered a discharge letter within the hospital system, but it had not been sent electronically to the GP practice.

Without the documentation, the surgery said it had no authority to prescribe the drug.

Area coroner Yvonne Blake described the family’s attempts to obtain the medication as a “ping pong” game between the hospital and the GP surgery, with neither side taking responsibility for issuing the prescription.

Family's 'ping- pong' battle for medication before father's death (Image: Denise Bradley)

On March 3 Tony appeared to be improving and even took the family dog for a long walk to the local post office.

But later that week he began feeling unwell.

On March 9 he suddenly became breathless while fixing a sink at home. He began hyperventilating and lay down on the sofa before collapsing and rolling onto the floor.

Family members tried to help but he was no longer breathing.

A post-mortem later confirmed Tony died from a pulmonary embolism caused by deep vein thrombosis.

The anticoagulant medication he had been prescribed is designed to slow the blood’s ability to clot and prevent existing clots from worsening.

Asked whether continuing the medication would definitely have saved Tony’s life, medical experts said it was impossible to know.

However his sons say it is painful knowing it may have made a difference.

Matt said: “It's tough knowing he'd been forced to go without the medication that may have made a difference. Dad knew how important the pills were, they'd told him in hospital, which is why he had tried so hard to get them when they started running out.

“What is really concerning is that this could happen to others given the number of discharge letters that aren't completed.”

During the hearing Dr Lee acknowledged that between five and 10pc of discharge summaries may not be finalised due to internal pressures, clinical demands and time constraints.

Matt said this raised wider concerns.

“This means there will be other people who encounter the same issue as our dad and can’t get their doctor to reissue medication because the discharge hasn’t been completed,” he added.

“Next time it could happen to someone you know and that’s worrying.

“It seems unimaginable that in this day and age there isn’t a system that raises a red flag if a letter hasn’t been sent or if a patient has run out of medication that could potentially save their life.”

Recording a narrative conclusion, the coroner said Tony had died from a pulmonary embolism caused by deep vein thrombosis.

She added: “This case shows how important discharge letters are and the need for clear communication between hospital and GP services.”

© Norwich Evening News