Trapped in care: Lingering hospital stays due to system overload
A unique situation occurred in one of the UK hospitals. Thirty-five-year-old Jessie was discharged from the hospital after 550 days, despite no longer requiring hospitalisation. The lack of an appropriate place for her to be transferred meant she remained in the facility for quite some time. However, the authorities eventually found a way to relocate her.
The British BBC station followed Jessie's case for several months, as she was moved to a new flat. The woman admits she feels lost and worried after being discharged from the hospital.
I was treated like an object. It's ruining my health, my mental well-being; no one cares that my life is in danger, says Jessie, speaking in a video diary she recorded herself. She complains and is utterly broken.
The woman was admitted to the hospital in April 2023 due to a bacterial skin infection. After three weeks, she was deemed fit for discharge, but she could not return to the care home where she had lived for nine years. The facility determined it could not provide her with adequate care, and Jessie herself did not want to return there.
She took advantage of a law that allows patients to express preferences for a place of residence after discharge. Jessie did not want to leave the hospital in Northampton where she had settled in. Her stay was estimated to cost taxpayers over £200,000.
Her stay cost the state more than £300 per day. In August 2024, the hospital took legal action to reclaim the space for other patients. The court ruled that Jessie had to leave the hospital. She was evicted, and the police briefly detained her due to offensive emails.
Currently, Jessie lives in a new place, but she is not happy. A new solicitor is handling her case. Jessie's case is not isolated. At the beginning of January 2025, 13,000 NHS beds in England were occupied by patients without medical indications for hospitalisation. This is due to the overload of the social care system. The government announced an additional £26 billion for system reform and a review of social care rules.
The NHS, or National Health Service, is the British healthcare system that provides free medical services to residents of the United Kingdom. Established in 1948, the NHS employs over 1.3 million people and is one of the largest employers in the world. The system is funded through taxes, and its aim is to provide equal access to healthcare for all citizens.
The NHS faces numerous challenges, including a budget deficit that by 2020 was projected to reach £30 billion annually. In response to these challenges, a plan of reforms aimed at savings and technological innovations was introduced. Nevertheless, the system still struggles with staff shortages and overburdened medical facilities.
