Under the Care Act of 2014, Jesse should be able to express her preferences as to where she lives.
She has mental abilities, but is rated by the NHS for requiring professional advocates to support this, and asked her to give, explaining her opinion to others It helped me understand the decision to do so.
Jesse was referred to the Advocacy Office by the Council, but her case was closed after seeking a new advocate in June 2024, but did not respond to further contact.
Health and care systems are “complex, complicated, extremely bureaucratic” and it’s easy for patients to lose their voice, says Caroline Entwistle of advocacy charity.
She believes that advocates can “remove that pressure from people who feel very overwhelmed,” but funding for such services has not kept up to demand.
The hospital provided mental health support to Jesse while she was in the cubicle. But she believed no one had heard her.
“I explained all the reasons why I wasn’t satisfied with the (accommodation),” she says.
In August 2024, 16 months after her arrival, the hospital began legal action against Jesse and regained the bed she was in.
She really didn’t understand what was going on, she says. Her mother didn’t either. They couldn’t find a lawyer, and there were no advocates, so the first two hearings proceeded ahead without anyone taking Jesse’s views.
The NHS Trust argued that patients do not have the right to choose their placement, and that hospital beds featured important resources.
He said he took into account Jesse’s vulnerability, and the package of care provided by the council was important, with staff presenting 24 hours a day to keep her safe.
A plan of care detailing the assistance Jesse needed was given to the court only at the final hearing. The date suggests that the assessment was completed the day before. He also said, “Jesse cannot communicate effectively.”
At the final High Court hearing on October 4th, Jesse attended remotely from the hospital. Within minutes she was overwhelmed and had to leave. Her mother had a hard time talking for her.
The judge said Jesse could challenge the council’s assessment of whether accommodation and care are right for her, but she doesn’t need a bed there and hasn’t needed a bed for over a year. , others could not do so. “.
He decided that Jesse had to leave the hospital and said, “I hope the transition goes smoothly.”
The hospital trust says it is committed to working with care partners to provide the best possible care to the people in our community in a location that is “best for their needs.”
Latest data from 2020 to 21 suggests that the cost of a standard NHS hospital bed will cost £345 per day. Adjusting for inflation, this means Jesse’s stay in hospital is likely to cost over £200,000. I don’t know the costs of legal action.
Ten days after Jesse’s final hearing, 18 months after she arrived at the hospital, police arrested her. She spent several hours at the police station before moving to an apartment in town where she had bad memories.
Police are investigating her in many cases, she told us.
Since moving, Jesse has been self-harmed and police say he has been called three times.
“They don’t know what to do with me,” she says.
Jesse was recently visited by new supporters.
