A mother has expressed her heartbreak over her 19-year-old son, Sebastian, who has spent the last 10 months in a mental health hospital despite being deemed medically fit for discharge. Sebastian, who has autism and is non-verbal, has been unable to leave the hospital because of a lack of appropriate accommodation that can meet his complex needs.
Amanda, Sebastian’s mother, said her son was effectively being “locked away” and “robbed of a future.” She described his hospital stay as a constant source of stress, with her son being treated unfairly due to his condition. “He’s autistic, has complex behaviours, and I feel like nobody could be bothered with him anymore,” she said. “My child does not belong in a building like that.”
Sebastian, who was first placed in respite care at the age of four, had lived in a home for children with special needs until he turned 18. Once he reached adulthood, he could no longer live there, and after a meltdown in January, he was admitted to a mental health hospital. Amanda said that within two weeks of admission, her son was deemed fit to be discharged, but the Southern Health Trust, which oversees his care, has been unable to find suitable housing for him.
The situation highlights a wider issue within Northern Ireland’s healthcare system, where at least 22 patients in adult mental health hospitals have been medically cleared for discharge but have nowhere to go. One of these patients has been waiting for over a year to be moved into appropriate accommodation.
The type of accommodation required for patients like Sebastian can vary. It may involve supported living placements, residential care homes, or housing provided by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, depending on the individual’s needs. However, the availability of these services has been limited, with some providers scaling back on placements due to financial constraints and capacity issues.
The Department of Health has acknowledged that the lack of available community placements is a significant barrier to discharging patients in a timely manner. In response, there is currently a review of autism adult services in Northern Ireland. Kerry Boyd of Autism NI stated, “It is crucial that autistic adults are allowed to have the same opportunities to live an independent life as the rest of society, and that means there must be supports in place for them to live within appropriate housing too.”
The Southern Health Trust has said it is continuing to work with other agencies to find the most suitable placements for people with complex needs, though the trust confirmed that fewer than five patients are currently in a similar situation as Sebastian.
This crisis is not limited to the Southern Trust. The Northern Trust reported 10 patients who are medically fit for discharge but still waiting for residential placements, with delays ranging from 4 days to 354 days. Similarly, the South Eastern Trust and Western Trust have also seen patients waiting for placements, with some delays spanning several months.
Sebastian’s mother has voiced her frustration at the lack of progress in finding a solution. She said, “He has the mind of a child. It’s so unfair.” She continues to advocate for better care options for individuals like her son, who require lifelong support to live independently.