The parents of a severely disabled boy have said their son slept on a mattress on the floor in a hospital for eight nights because staff were unable to source the special cot needed to keep him safe as he sleeps.
Cody Neatis, who has Down’s syndrome, epilepsy, autism and is fed by a tube, was admitted to Royal Preston hospital last Thursday with a chest infection.
Because the eight-year-old thrashes around in his sleep, his parents, Lynne and Stephen Neatis, from Preston, requested a protective high-sided bed to lay him down in.
The hospital offered a regular bed or alternative specialist models with one-to-one nursing, but Cody’s parents say this was not safe enough.
The specialist bed required by the family will not arrive at the hospital until the end of April, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS foundation trust said.
Lynne Neatis, 48, said she had faced the same problem when she brought Cody to the hospital two years ago.
“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,” she said. “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.
“So I fully expected them to have it this time but there is still nothing. They have baby cots and single beds with side rails but they aren’t safe as Cody rolls around so much in his sleep and is restless all night long.
“I have to sleep on the floor with him and I have had to fight for a nurse or healthcare 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.”
The Neatises are full-time carers to Cody and his brother Dexter, seven, who is also disabled and has autism and ADHD.
At home, Cody sleeps in a specialist bed that cost the family more than £3,000.
Karen Partington, chief executive of the foundation trust, said: “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.
“A specialist bed has been ordered from America and we are awaiting delivery. We offered the options of a traditional bed plus one-to-one nursing staff and we also brought in a special bed again with one-to-one nursing.
“We believe we have appropriate beds available to meet the needs of Cody along with appropriate nursing support. However, based on the options available, her preference was for Cody to have a mattress on the floor.
“Clearly when making these decisions regarding the care of children we believe it is important to do so in collaboration with parents. We continue to work with her to find a solution that meets Cody’s needs and his mum’s preferences.”
