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Patient's plea: 'Life won't be worth living if I can't go home'
25 Feb
Summary
- A woman with multiple complex health conditions was transferred against her wishes.
- She expressed devastation, stating life wouldn't be worth living if she couldn't return home.
- Her family claims her powered wheelchair was switched off during the transfer.
A patient with multiple complex health conditions, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, functional neurological disorder, Addison's disease, and epilepsy, has been transferred to a nursing home against her stated wishes. The patient, who previously managed her communication via eye-gaze technology and used a ventilator at times, had been receiving 24-hour nursing care funded by NHS Continuing Healthcare at her home. She was also actively pursuing a master's degree in sustainability and was recognized for her advocacy for disabled individuals.
Admitted to East Surrey Hospital last April with pneumonia, her condition led to prolonged complications. Despite her desire to return to her own home, care commissioners reportedly informed her she would be moved to a nursing home, a decision she vehemently opposed. On the day of her transfer to Temple Grove Nursing Home, she reportedly told the BBC she was "devastated" and wished to be home, where she felt safe, could easily see friends and family, and retain control over her surroundings and activities.
Her mother, Christine Ritchie, described the situation as "horrific," stating that her daughter "didn't consent to go." According to her mother, the patient's powered wheelchair was "switched off and pushed" as she was moved from the hospital, a move she had not agreed to.
