NHS evicts patient who spent 18 months in hospital bed with no care home to go to
The NHS was forced to evict a woman who spent 18 months living from her hospital bed because she had no care home to go to.
Jessie, who would not give her surname, stayed at Northampton general hospital following a procedure for cellulitis because her nursing home of nine years said it could no longer meet her needs.
She was arrested in hospital and taken to a new care home, where she now says she feels anxious.
The 35-year-old, who is unable to work and relies on benefits, requires help with all personal care and has been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder.
Speaking about the ordeal, she told the BBC: 'I feel very angry, upset, worthless, and like my mental health and my life doesn't matter.'
Jessie lived on a six-bed ward in the hospital, where she says her mental health quickly declined.
The hospital started legal action against Jessie in August last year to repossess the bed she was using having declared her fit to leave in April.
North Northamptonshire council, which is responsible for her housing and care, declined to comment because of a police investigation into Jessie's behaviour at the care home.
Legal documents show that the council investigated about 120 care places but only one care home was put forward to her.
This was a supported living flat in a nearby town with two care staff initially present 24 hours a day.
But Jessie declined the offer because the area brought back distressing memories, which court documents say left her feeling suicidal.
In court, documents showed that Jessie had not been able to express a preference about where she lives despite having the right to under the 2014 Care Act.
The court heard that Jessie has mental capacity but an NHS assessment outlined she needs support with making decisions and communicating her views.
The NHS trust argued that a patient did not have the right to choose accommodation and said a hospital bed took up significant resources.
At the final High Court hearing in October, the judge told Jessie she could challenge the council's assessment of whether the accommodation and care were suitable for her, but she could not remain in hospital 'when she does not need a bed there, and has not needed one for over a year, and others do'.
Her case has highlighted the pressure on the care system, which has been buckling under staff shortages and a lack of funding.
Last month nearly 13,000 out of more than 100,000 hospital beds in England were occupied by people who didn't have a medical reason to be there, official figures show.
The Department of Health and Social Care has told the BBC: 'This is a troubling case, which shows how our broken NHS discharge system is failing vulnerable.'
Last month, the NHS hospital beds shortage was at its worst so far this winter, with just 4 per cent of beds across England unoccupied by patients, The Telegraph reported.
Four hospital trusts reported they had zero available beds and Sarah-Jane Marsh, the emergency care director, said hospitals were 'jam-packed' with people.
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