Disabled man 'rotting' on a hospital ward – despite being told he is fit to go home

Disabled man 'rotting' on a hospital ward – despite being told he is fit to go home

This article reports on the case of Ravi Mehta, a 36-year-old man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, who has been stuck in hospital for eight months after his local NHS integrated care board (ICB) stopped his 24-hour home support funding. Although Mehta was medically cleared to go home shortly after a September 2025 hospital admission for ventilator adjustments, his personal health budget was terminated, preventing him from receiving the necessary care at home.

Mehta requires two healthcare assistants around the clock and says he is now being pressured to move into a care home instead of returning to his family home, where he previously worked part-time for a charity and enjoyed social activities. He feels his life is “fading away” in hospital, physically weakening and suffering mental health impacts such as isolation and depression.

The NHS South East London ICB denies that cost considerations have driven their decisions but has suggested in correspondence that cost-effectiveness may influence some care package approvals. Campaigners and experts express concern that complex care recipients like Mehta are increasingly pushed toward more restrictive, risk-averse care models due to financial pressures.

Mehta describes his situation as being treated inhumanely and “stuck between a rock and a hard place,” fearing he might never leave hospital. The ICB acknowledges the complexity of his case and the distress caused by his prolonged stay but maintains that their approach aims to ensure clinical safety and find a viable long-term solution that meets his assessed needs

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More