Ravi Mehta Stays Trapped in Hospital 8 Months After NHS Ends 24-Hour Home Care Budget
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 19
Ravi Mehta Stays Trapped in Hospital 8 Months After NHS Ends 24-Hour Home Care Budget
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 19
Eight months after a routine September 2025 ventilator appointment, 36-year-old Ravi Mehta remains on a hospital ward despite being medically fit to leave after three days.
His discharge stalled when NHS South East London ICB ended the personal health budget funding two healthcare assistants 24 hours a day, while Mehta says he is being pushed toward a care home instead of returning home.
BBC-reported letters show lawyers for the ICB cited "cost-effectiveness" as a reason home care might be refused in some cases, and Mehta says he was warned he could face daily hospital charges or lose care if he self-discharged.
The ICB denies decisions were driven by cost, calling the case complex and saying it has funded support above the agreed budget, recruited staff and is working toward a safe discharge.
The case echoes other disputes over complex NHS-funded care, with campaigners and a former NHS leader warning budget pressure on integrated care boards is pushing disabled people from personalised support toward more restrictive settings.
Is the NHS unlawfully trapping disabled patients in hospitals by cutting the home care funds they need to leave?
Are budget cuts pushing UK healthcare back toward the institutionalization of disabled people?
The Human Cost of NHS Home Care Funding Cuts: Ravi Mehta’s Ordeal and the UK’s Social Care Crisis
Overview
Ravi Mehta, a 52-year-old father, suffered a severe stroke that left him paralyzed and unable to speak, confining him to a hospital bed since September 2025. His critical condition requires constant specialized care, which was initially funded by a special government program. However, after this funding was suddenly withdrawn due to budget cuts, his family faced overwhelming financial and emotional strain. Without continued support, the hospital may be forced to discharge him, putting his life at risk. Ravi’s story highlights the wider crisis in the UK’s social care system, where funding cuts leave vulnerable people without essential care.