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Children's health

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Original poster

Taking my son to another hospital for surgery

7 replies

WJC · 04/12/2013 10:17

I've been asked to take my son (age 6) from Edinburgh to Newcastle for surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids. Has anyone any experience of travelling such a distance for surgery? Should I do this?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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DowntonTrout · 04/12/2013 10:21

We travelled from Yorkshire to Great Ormond street in London for DDs surgery. We went the day before and stayed in a hotel as we had to be at the hospital for 7.30am.

Will your DS be staying over night? How many nights? Is there provision at the hospital for you to stay with him? These are things you need to find out.

bundaberg · 04/12/2013 10:23

what reason have they given for it? so that it'll be done sooner? because better outcomes/facilities there?

i think it''s excessive for what is, essentially, a fairly minor operation... how long will it take you to get there?

pudseypie · 04/12/2013 12:12

We go regularly from Kent to Brighton children's hospital, about 1.5hrs drive so not quite as far as you. They do have a Ronald MacDonald house there for parents to stay if you can't stay in the room if your dc has to be in overnight.
I think going to another hospital happens a lot but surprised Edinburgh can't do it? Is it they don't do any paediatric surgery there? That's the reason we have to go elsewhere

bundaberg · 04/12/2013 15:52

i can understand having to travel to great ormond street or similar for specialist care..... can't imagine that there is nowhere in/around Edinburgh that does paediatric surgery for cases like this...

maybe it's a waiting list issue?

Original poster

WJC · 12/12/2013 10:07

It is a waiting list thing. They're meant to do the operation within 12 weeks of the appointment where they agreed they'd do it. Despite Edinburgh having a dedicated children's hospital they can't fit us in within the timescale. They will put me up and pay for all our travel. We're travelling down on the Friday and he'll stay in hospital Friday night, have the operation on Saturday and we can come home on Sunday.

OP posts:

DowntonTrout · 12/12/2013 10:16

In that case, considering that it's a routine op and he isn't travelling for specialist care, indeed the specialist care is available locally, I would push to stay on the longer waiting list at my local hospital. It's less stressful and he might not be feeling great on the Sunday for the journey home.

Golddigger · 12/12/2013 10:17

Have you looked up the statistics for the hospital?
My son, for reasons I wont go into, had to have an operation at a hospital miles away from home. But it had good statisitcs and all went very smoothly.
If the hospital is ok, I think I personally would be glad that he doesnt have to wait. Only my opinion though.

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