Eight-year-old Cody Neatis – who has a mental age of a one year old – has Down’s Syndrome, autism, epilepsy and has to be fed through a tube. When he was admitted to the Royal Preston Hospital with a chest infection last Thursday, his parents were told there were no specially adapted beds and that he would be sleeping on a matress on the floor.
His mother, Lynne, 48, slept next to him the whole time because she was terrified her young son may injure himself in his sleep or pull off his oxygen supply.
“This situation has been an ongoing one for years with this hospital and I don't understand why they still don't have a suitable bed,” Lynne told the Mirror. “We had to stay in for nine days in August 2013, I complained about it then and was told that the ward was getting a special needs bed. I fully expected them to have it this time but there is still nothing.”
Mother of six Lynne wanted to take Cody home to recover but until his treatment is completed, she has been told Cody must stay on the ward.
Lynne added: “I have to sleep on the floor with him and I have had to fight for a nurse or health care assistant to be with us during the night to watch him too as I can't stay awake for 24 hours. It has been a very stressful and exhausting time."
“Other hospitals have these beds and special needs children are admitted to hospital more often than other children so I don't understand why it's so difficult here.”
In a statement, Karen Partington, chief executive of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust claimed a bed was on the way.
She added: “Our priority is to always provide excellent care with compassion for our patients and we have had several discussions with Cody's family regarding his care. We are awaiting delivery of a specialist bed from America and we have discussed a number of alternatives with Cody's family, which have been declined.”