Thank you Terpe and Ricky for the information.

My brother is a self employed consultant. He has been diagnosed with a brain disease which it appears has been caused by a virus that was contracted in yet another country. I have contacted my local hospital which fortunately has a world renouned reputation and they have advised that they will only treat him on the NHS if he moves back to the UK permanently. Now that a firm diagnosis has been made, I think that a visit to my local GP is sound advice so I will make an appointment this week.

The advice that I am looking for is how to get the family over here as well as transporting my brother back too. He is named on my nephew's birth certificate and I believe that my brother also holds Filippino citizenship too as he still has a house there since first moving in 1993. Would his partner and son need a family permit, a visitors visa, an unmarried partner visa or some other kind of visa?

The foreign assistance suggestion also sounds a good one and I will pass on those details. As for the British Embassy, the consular department in manila are aware and notified London of my brother's situation. They can only offer assistance, guidance and contacts but they have been helpful and are trying to be supportive.

RickyR .............. your offer to visit my brother is so sweet and very much appreciated. Unfortunately, he can't speak or communicate at the moment but hopefully with treatment his condition may improve. It's such a scary situation.

Rosie x