Disabled man 'rotting' on a hospital ward - despite being fit to go home

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Disabled man 'rotting' on a hospital ward - despite being fit to go home22 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleErica Witherington ,Disability reporterandNikki Fox ,Disability correspondentErica Witherington / BBCRavi Mehta, 36, says his "life will be over" if he is moved to a care homeA disabled man says he has been left "rotting away" in hospital for the last eight months after his local NHS board stopped his 24-hour home support. Ravi Mehta, who has a life-limiting disability, was admitted to hospital in September 2025 for a routine appointment to fix his ventilator settings. He was supposed to go home three days later - but months on he is still stuck in a hospital ward.

The 36-year-old, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, says he was told "from the beginning" that he is medically fit to go home. However, the budget he received from his local NHS integrated care board (ICB) to pay for the staff he needs to support him at home has now ended. Mehta, who needs two healthcare assistants 24 hours a day, says every unnecessary day on the ward feels like precious time "fading away".

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'My life has essentially stopped'He previously had a personal health budget (PHB) - NHS funding designed to give people more flexibility to create the support they need to live their life. But it was terminated by the ICB, which is responsible for planning and funding local health services. Mehta believes his care board wants him to accept a model of care that is cheaper or more restrictive than the one he says he actually needs.

He told the he is now being "pressured" by the NHS to go into a care home, instead of back to his family home, where he had a job, went to football matches and saw his friends. Mehta says the support he would receive in a care home would make his life much more restricted. "I feel like they see me as the person that needs too much care and support - more than they want to give.

"NHS South East London ICB said they "strongly refute any suggestion that decisions in this case have been driven by cost. "The has heard from other disabled people who say they too are being left "stranded" in hospital as disputes over their NHS-funded care outside of hospital go on for months. Campaigners and patients believe care boards are increasingly scrutinising complex care packages, such as Mehta's, to save on costs.

This means he, and others, are being pushed towards more traditional, risk-averse options, like agency care or a care home, say complex care experts. Although Mehta's ICB has denied their decision-making in his case has been driven by cost, the has seen a letter to Mehta's representative from NHS South East London's lawyers, citing "cost-effectiveness" as a reason why a package of care in someone's own home might be refused "in some instances".

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.