Transferring FIL from hospital in Midlands to hospital down South - even though that's not his permanent address

[handlemecarefully]

79 yr old FIL very ill

Has had bleed to brain and 3 operations to address this

Currently cannot speak, swallow and doesn't appear to recognise anyone.

This has been going on for 6-7 weeks.

MIL and FIL live 2.5 hours drive away. Dh is being dragged up to Cotswold by his mum quite frequently because she needs his support - this is understandable but it is to the detriment of our children who see precious little of him any way.

MIL accepts that whatever the outcome (if FIL recovers to some extent or if he dies), she / they will move down South close to us.

So my question is how do we get the great cumbersome wheels of the NHS to move to transfer FIL down from the Walsgrave hospital to Southampton area? This would be a good deal easier - MIL could live with us temporarily (I'm thrilled!) until she finds a house down here, and I could run her back and forth to the hospital (she doesn't drive and currently visiting FIL is costing her ?70 per day in taxi fares from Evesham to Coventry)

I think you have to discuss transfer options with your fil's consultant. As for mil travel cost I think she needs to talk to Patient advisary service based at hospital, I know that some hospitals have schemes where a relative of a very sick patient can logde with a local family, but don't know whether this happens at walsgrave ( I do know parking is terrible and expensive you might be able to get tokens from the ward I know childrens wards do this)

Good luck with it I know what a worry/stress these circumstances can bring.

Hi HMC. Sorry to hear about all this. I'm afraid I don't know whether the NHS could transfer your FIL or not - have you spoken to the Walsgrave & Southampton hospitals?

The country being what it is, they'll doubtless stick you with a huge fee for doing it though.