Bed-blocking patient evicted after two years 'did not want to stay'

[Northerner]

A patient who was evicted from a hospital after spending more than two years in a bed said he did not want to stay and "tried to get out of there".

Adriano Guedes, 63, who suffers paralysis after a stroke in 2008, was admitted to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk, in 2014.

The hospital obtained a court order and evicted him two weeks ago, saying he had occupied the bed "unnecessarily".

"I didn't want to stay, and they forced me to stay," Mr Guedes told the BBC.

"It's very bad to occupy a place which should be used by someone in need, but I didn't cause the situation. On the contrary - I tried to get out of there."

He said he has been on a hunger strike since he left the hospital, adding his last meal was on 10 January.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-38731937

 

[Amigo]

At a human level I feel very sorry for this Portuguese national who repeatedly refused accommodation because he said it would isolate him from other Portuguese people. It's cost the taxpayer £340,000 for his hospital stay and he's been fit for discharge for years. He wouldn't leave hospital because he didn't like what they offered him. He's been given a Council flat and carers 4 times a day plus adaptations to the property like hoisting etc.

When he says he 'tried to get out of there' he means he wanted somewhere of his choice and it simply wasn't available. I can guarantee he will have been offered temporary residential accommodation by Social Services because they are fined per day for 'bed blocking'. He's refused all offers over the years from what I've heard.

He has decided to apply this self imposed hunger strike.

Sometimes the State simply cannot provide every single thing to ensure happiness, socialisation and accommodation of choice. I'm sorry he's unhappy with life but he's received a hell of a lot more than I'd have done had I found myself similarly affected in Portugal.

There's two sides to every sad story.

 

[Lindarose]

I totally agree Amigo. Some people expect it all. I've seen press stories before which totally misinform the public with only one side of things being reported.

 

[mikeyB]

Well, if he starves himself to death, problem solved. It's nobody's fault but his own. Theresa May would throw him out of the country anyway, one assumes.