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| Man evicted from hospital for blocking bed for two years | Man evicted from hospital for blocking bed for two years |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A hospital applied for a court order to remove a patient who had occupied a bed "unnecessarily" for more than two years. | A hospital applied for a court order to remove a patient who had occupied a bed "unnecessarily" for more than two years. |
| The man, who has not been named by the hospital, had refused to leave the James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk. | The man, who has not been named by the hospital, had refused to leave the James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk. |
| The hospital said he had been "fit for discharge" and had been offered appropriate accommodation. | The hospital said he had been "fit for discharge" and had been offered appropriate accommodation. |
| It said the decision to go to court was a last resort and "not taken lightly". | It said the decision to go to court was a last resort and "not taken lightly". |
| The man, from Suffolk, had been at the hospital in Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, since August 2014. | The man, from Suffolk, had been at the hospital in Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, since August 2014. |
| 'Using a hospital as a hotel' | 'Using a hospital as a hotel' |
| A patient who had been in the same ward said it had been an "open secret" at the hospital that he had been there for more than two years. | A patient who had been in the same ward said it had been an "open secret" at the hospital that he had been there for more than two years. |
| The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she was "disgusted". | The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she was "disgusted". |
| "It's ridiculous, it's using a hospital as a hotel," she said. | "It's ridiculous, it's using a hospital as a hotel," she said. |
| The hospital applied to the court for a possession order to claim back the bed occupied by the man. | The hospital applied to the court for a possession order to claim back the bed occupied by the man. |
| It was granted on 1 December and the man was evicted on 10 January. | It was granted on 1 December and the man was evicted on 10 January. |
| The Department for Health says the average daily cost of a hospital bed is about £400, meaning the man's stay at James Paget would have cost more than £300,000 for the two years. | |
| For more on this story visit BBC Local Live: Norfolk | For more on this story visit BBC Local Live: Norfolk |
| Anna Hills, the hospital's director of governance, said: "The gentleman repeatedly refused all offers of appropriate accommodation organised by our local authority and social care partners, despite being fit for discharge. | Anna Hills, the hospital's director of governance, said: "The gentleman repeatedly refused all offers of appropriate accommodation organised by our local authority and social care partners, despite being fit for discharge. |
| "As a last resort, the trust had to apply to the court to allow us to remove the gentleman from the hospital. | "As a last resort, the trust had to apply to the court to allow us to remove the gentleman from the hospital. |
| "The decision to go to court was not taken lightly but our priority has to be considering the needs of all our patients." | "The decision to go to court was not taken lightly but our priority has to be considering the needs of all our patients." |
| The hospital said the man had been placed in accommodation in the community. | The hospital said the man had been placed in accommodation in the community. |
| Analysis: Nick Triggle, BBC health correspondent | |
| This is a highly unusual case and to protect the identity of the patient few details have been released so it is difficult to unpick exactly what has happened here. | This is a highly unusual case and to protect the identity of the patient few details have been released so it is difficult to unpick exactly what has happened here. |
| However, patients choosing to stay in hospital are perhaps more common than you think. | However, patients choosing to stay in hospital are perhaps more common than you think. |
| There are more than 700 patients in English hospitals who are ready for discharge, but choose to stay or whose families want them to stay. | There are more than 700 patients in English hospitals who are ready for discharge, but choose to stay or whose families want them to stay. |
| This is normally because the patient or their loved ones do not feel able to cope. | This is normally because the patient or their loved ones do not feel able to cope. |
| Hospitals work with the families to see what support can be provided in the community or simply spend a few more days or weeks caring for the patient until they feel they are fit to leave. | Hospitals work with the families to see what support can be provided in the community or simply spend a few more days or weeks caring for the patient until they feel they are fit to leave. |
| But with so much pressure on hospitals at the moment there is a growing need to free up beds as soon as possible. | But with so much pressure on hospitals at the moment there is a growing need to free up beds as soon as possible. |