Bringing parent to recuperate far away from hospital/ their doctor?

TheSpottedZebra · 07/10/2025 22:30

I've got a feeling that you can temporarily register with a (nother) gp surgery. Whether that is still possible given the funding crisis, who knows?!

Is your parent using the Internet for their medical stuff? So you could get a screen print of meds, history etc, just in case. And access to clinic letters.

Obviously they'll be able to,access emergency care, and you could get a copy of their proof of address and haventheir nhs no to hand.

Original poster

BritishFakeOff · 08/10/2025 08:03

Also, what if I need to get dressings changed? I could do it, but have no training.

Can you pay a nurse/ carer to come in and change them?

Clearly I am clueless, but still think having us take care of my 90-year old dad is a better option.

OP posts:

ThatLadyLady · 08/10/2025 08:05

What is the operation?

that’s a very, very long journey to make post-op.

Tiredofwhataboutery · 08/10/2025 08:07

I think I’d call the GP in this instance and ask whether possible to register as temporary patient. If so then you should be able to major an appointment for dressings being changed, will they be mobile enough to attend or will you need a nurse to come to the house?

WinterNightStars · 08/10/2025 08:32

I’m a practice nurse & we often have relatives of our patients attend the surgery for dressings/removal of stitches etc after surgery. They can register as a temporary resident, using your address. Depending on surgery he may only need one of two dressing changes. Nurses will be happy to show you how to change if needed between appts, & can arrange with duty doctor for antibiotics if an infection develops or deal with other concerns. If there were any major concerns with the surgery & he needed seen by the surgeon then you’d need to make contact with the team who operated on him. I’d echo whats already been said tho re v long journey post op & there’ll be increased risk of clots etc esp if major surgery. Presumably if he can travel so far he can attend the surgery - the district nurses in my area are unable to visit anyone who is not literally housebound due to time/staff constraints (so must be literally unable to leave house for any reason, unable to attend Hosp appts/hair/dentist/docs etc). Hope that helps.

Superscientist · 08/10/2025 19:27

It should be doable but you might just want I run it past his drs and your Drs.

I was in a similar situation in the summer I was pregnant but with complications requiring weekly blood tests and monitoring. My results were currently stable and my consultant was happy for me to visit my in-laws as long as I could get the local hospital to do the blood tests. She wrote detailed notes in my green notes to take with me and said they could contact her if they had questions. The first midwife I spoke to in the hospital near my in-laws was happy to do this but the matron said no as they wouldn't necessarily know if they were getting worse. My consultant said well in that situation I'd just call triage at the original hospital. So it is somewhat hospital dependent. I did enquire about what would happen if I missed my bloods for a couple of weeks which they were non committal about. It would be my decision but their recommendation was for me to have my bloods done weekly or at least every 10 days. We decided to get my in-laws to visit us instead

As it happens it was a good job we didn't go as I didn't get worse over the time we would have been visiting requiring two trips to a and e and a 3 day admission to hospital and I got quite unwell. The difference between my situation and yours was mine was a condition that was developing and more likely to get worse whereas hopefully this won't be the case for your dad post op

Original poster

BritishFakeOff · 08/10/2025 20:07

Knee operation is the main one. Otherwise they’ll be alone mostly and I’m worried about falls.

OP posts:

ThatLadyLady · 08/10/2025 20:33

BritishFakeOff · 08/10/2025 20:07

Knee operation is the main one. Otherwise they’ll be alone mostly and I’m worried about falls.

Huge risk of blood clots. Especially when travelling for a long time. You’d be better to get some time off work and go and stay with them if you’re that worried.

SixtiesHermit · 08/10/2025 20:37

My concern would be the journey to your home. Risk of blood clots would need to be factored in. Could the journey be split into 2 days? I totally get your reasoning but you do not want to make the post operative recovery worse by the travelling so soon after surgery.

Original poster

BritishFakeOff · 09/10/2025 07:57

OK, so maybe not directly after surgery. What if I leave them at home for a few days (either with me, or my other sibling) and then bring them down to my house. I'm more concerned with the weeks that follow on after the knee operation, when he can't get out for a few weeks, will be alone, and its winter outside. So, say 5 - 7 days after the op?

My Dad also has to have a bladder scrape as he has some polyps. When he had the investigations for this he got a bladder infection and couldn't sleep for weeks and was really weak. Again, he is better off in my house due to its layout, warmth and the amount of people who would be looking out for him.

OP posts:

ThatLadyLady · 09/10/2025 08:00

BritishFakeOff · 09/10/2025 07:57

OK, so maybe not directly after surgery. What if I leave them at home for a few days (either with me, or my other sibling) and then bring them down to my house. I'm more concerned with the weeks that follow on after the knee operation, when he can't get out for a few weeks, will be alone, and its winter outside. So, say 5 - 7 days after the op?

My Dad also has to have a bladder scrape as he has some polyps. When he had the investigations for this he got a bladder infection and couldn't sleep for weeks and was really weak. Again, he is better off in my house due to its layout, warmth and the amount of people who would be looking out for him.

Edited

Why are you asking here and not with his medical team? They’ll be best placed to answer all of these questions.

Greybeardy · 09/10/2025 08:35

it sounds like a complex situation and probably needs some joined up thinking from his medical teams to start off with (do the orthopaedic surgeons know about the bladder surgery?...that may make a difference to what order things should happen in, particularly if it's a knee replacement they're talking about doing). It may also be worth exploring transferring his care completely to the hospital nearest to you so that if there are post op medical problems (which is not wildly unlikely aged 90) then they will have access to all the notes. A 250 mile journey in a car a few days post op is not likely to be very pleasant for him even if all has gone smoothly.

Original poster

BritishFakeOff · 09/10/2025 09:16

ThatLadyLady · 09/10/2025 08:00

Why are you asking here and not with his medical team? They’ll be best placed to answer all of these questions.

Show quote history

Asking here gives me the info to compile my list of questions. Thanks.

OP posts:

AnnaMagnani · 09/10/2025 09:20

Do you know if there will be dressing changes? Or how much follow up?

My DM was given strict instructions that the only person to touch her dressing should be her surgeon. And there were loads of appointments to take her to both to see the surgeon and the physio.

sashh · 09/10/2025 09:56

BritishFakeOff · 07/10/2025 20:11

My elderly parent is having a couple of operations in the next few months. They just had a minor op and struggled for weeks after.

I work and have DC to look after so it’s really hard for me to go stay with them for more than a few days. I live 250 miles away.

I’d like to bring my parent to my house post op, and have them stay with me to recover. I have a ground floor large bedroom with en-suite they can have, and always someone in the house (DH WFH when I’m at work, teen helpful kids). Parent is happy about this.

The only thing I need to worry about is any post op checkups, or emergency attention, or an infection that happened last mini op.

What plans can I put in place to have them here, but have things in place incase of a set back?

Register your parent as a 'temporary resident' with your GP. Just in case he needs to be seen.

potato08 · 09/10/2025 10:08

I think the risk of infection and blood clots is far too high tbh, op
Also, he may just want to be at home (I know I would)
What about you and your siblings arranging a week leave each?
Then a local care company to do visits/be on call if he need them?
Will he be needing lots of District nurse visits/post op appointments?
I feel for you, its hard x