To try and get my Dad back to the UK so he can die here

[Ataloss23]

I am looking for a bit of support with this, as I don't really know where to start!

My Dad lives in the USA, born in Scotland but moved over in 2019 when he married his wife who he met whilst traveling over there.

18 months ago he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He tolerated treatment well, and we have been lucky to get more time with him.

He decided he wanted to move back to Scotland, so he could live out his days here. He sought advice from lawyers and they began the immigration process for his wife, which has been long winded. She has paid all of her fees, including NHS fees and had her embassy interview 9 weeks ago. We have been told it takes up to 12 weeks to get a response.

His treatment over the past few months hasn't gone as well as it has been, and he has taken a real decline this week. I've ended up flying over to America to be with him as we don't know how much time he has left. We are discussing hospice options, and he has said that he would much rather find a way to get back to Scotland, because he still wants to die back home. So I am trying to do everything I can to get him home, but would really appreciate some guidance.

His Dr here has said that he may be able to discharge him for flying, if he feels he would be able to manage the whole flight and we can manage his pain. My concern is how quickly could we access services in the UK? We live quite rurally, so not the same issues for getting access to GP as people in larger populated areas experience. I'm more concerned about how we would access District Nurses, pain relief, stuff like that rather than home support/hospice/care home, as we will be providing his care at home and should manage it all between us.

And regarding the Immigration process - his wife is unable to travel to the UK while immigration clearance is ongoing. Is there a way to expedite this to get him home this week does anyone think? As much as he wants to be here to die, he doesn't want to be here without her. I have plans to phone Immigration in the morning from over here to see what we can do, as I feel this is the biggest challenge we are going to face.

I know this isn't a very common situation, but does anyone have anything similar that they could share with me, or have any professional insight regarding accessing District Nurses or Immigration?

I'm also trying to suss out what services we will need to get him home - private ambulance from the hospital to my house, a hospital bed (can I even get one of these in the house if I don't have access to OTs? Pain management in the community etc. Is there anything else I haven' considered that I need to look into?

I know we are probably chasing something that isn't possible, but I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to meet his wishes.

Any thoughts or advice would be great please!

Would you be able to hire someone to help you? (Expensive.) When someone’s body begins to shut down they become incontinent, and it is quite difficult to deal with on an emotional level because it feels so undignified for a parent to be in this position, and difficult physically for the carer. What if he can’t easily stand up? What if you need to change the sheets underneath him ( it helps so much to have two pairs of hands and there are certain techniques)?

Being resident in the U.K. is the criteria for free NHS treatment. Once you go to live in another country you are no longer eligible.

EOL care is provided by NHS Scotland staff who are paid an annual salary they are not paid per visit so travelling time to the visit is irrelevant.
A friend does EOL care literally in the middle of no where and is provided with a 4x4 to manoeuvre difficult tracks etc. Obviously if there’s 10 feet of drifting snow patients can’t be visited and in many parts of Scotland the weather can be erratic and bloody awful but even we don’t have impassable roads due to ice in the summer.

I was speaking from my own experience with a relative in a similar position who was nevertheless still registered.

OP ask if he is registered.

Wrong again. Once you are back in the UK with the intention to be resident you are entitled certainly to immediately necessary care and GP and community care.

All that is required is that he intends to live permanently now in the UK.

If they didn’t tell the GP they were moving abroad, which they’re supposed to do, he might still be registered, but once you live abroad permanently you forgo NHS care.

No

Care for EOL patients is provided by staff employed by NHS Scotland the OP doesn’t need to hire someone.

Why are you citing nonsense? Your username is very inappropriate!

No advice but wish you all well and well done for trying so hard to support his final wish. 💕

I am right in saying that once you live abroad you are not eligible for free NHS care. Only when you move back and can prove you have moved back permanently. I went through the process, having lived abroad myself.,

I am not sure you can arrange anything until he gets here. Based on previous experience with a patient who needed to go to Belfast. She needed care package, but it couldn’t be set up
until she arrived. Which basically kiboshed the plan.

What is wrong with people please do not worry the OP with things you clearly know nothing about. NHS Scotland will provide free EOL care to the OPs father regardless of where he has been living and even if he hasn’t contributed a penny in tax in his whole life.

unlikely but he can be registered on the day he arrives

I have experienced this. It is not nonsense. Plenty abused the system though

Exactly this. The level of social media scaremongering and nonsense on this thread is scary.

You haven't. Please stop.

As a district nurse I second this. No one needs to die in hospital if home is where they’d prefer

Yes it is. Please stop talking about things you dont know anything about.

Do you live in Scotland?
Do you work in EOL or primary care?
Do you know anything about NHS Scotland?
I recently looked after an Indian man who was dying no one asked him when he arrived here had he paid taxes, if he lived here permanently.
For all I my colleagues and his GP knew he’d arrived here 3 weeks ago never paid a penny in UK taxes and was only here on holiday or maybe he’d lived here all his life was a British citizen and paid taxes at 43%.
No one is interested was dying and needed care and he received it.

Everyone in England has the right to register and access GP care free of charge, regardless of their immigration status, nationality, or permanent address. This includes, but is not limited to, homeless individuals, gypsies, travelers, and foreign visitors. Registration does not require proof of identity, address, or an NHS number.
I work in wales and it's the same here. Assume Scotland is the same.

Excuse me ! You’re the one who needs to stop.I lived for years abroad and had to go through the process, which I respected , unlike those who didn’t inform the relevant authorities that they were living abroad and flew back and forth for NHS care.

Please stop talking nonsense. Not sure what you experienced or why but the information you are giving is incorrect.
Anyone living in Scotland can access primary care services at a GP practice without charge, regardless of nationality or immigration status. Patients do not need to be "ordinarily resident," so asylum seekers, refugees, students, and those with no fixed address can register. Registration requires no documentation.

Op, with love I wouldn’t recommend doing this. It’s too much stress for all of you and the flight home would likely be horrendous. Can you stay with him in the US?