Sandy,
Thank you for your comments and links to articles on low blood pressure. I think my Dad should go back to his GP and see where he goes from here.
Yes, he was seen by a geriatric pyschiatrist as an outpatient, and i assume it was the MMSE test he did, having done a shorter one at home with the CPN previously. He has not been referred to a memory clinic.
He forgets things like when people are coming (and asks the same questions repeatedly), if he has an appointment, when someone has phoned, although he has good days and bad days. He is getting much slower at things which he used to be able to do easily, e.g. his income tax return, so I have taken this on. So far he is managing with everday tasks, although he is very dependant on my mum to keep him right. He just managed when she was in hospital for a couple of days.
Thanks for your concern.
For Lynne: re the cost of aricept, see the following:
"Cost
The cost to the patient through the NHS will be the normal prescription charge. The actual cost for 28 days' supply of the drug is £68.32 for 5mg tablets and £95.76 for 10mg tablets. The cost of a private prescription would be this amount plus an additional dispensing fee charged by the retail chemist, which may be as much as £40 or £50, bringing the total to around £100 to £150. It is therefore a good idea to shop around if you have a private prescription. !
which I found on
http://www.alzscot.org/pages/info/aricept.htm
If your GP will write the prescription, it should cut down on consultant's fees, although you may have to visit the consultant from time to time.
Hope this helps.
Jemima