The 35-year-old spent more than a year in the hospital bed (Image: Supplied )
A woman for an astonishing 550 days has been arrested and evicted.
The woman, known only as Jessie, took up the space at Northampton General Hospital for around 18 months with images showing her bed surrounded by cuddly toys, boxes and packets of biscuits.
It’s reported the 35-year-old was admitted on April 14, 2023 for treatment for cellulitis, a bacterial infection that affects the skin and tissues beneath it.
Jessie, who uses a wheelchair and needs help with all her personal care, was ready to be discharged from the hospital by the end of April, but was told she could not return to the nursing home where she had lived for nine years as it could no longer accommodate her needs.
Without anywhere to go, Jessie stayed , becoming increasingly isolated from the outside world and with only curtains for privacy.
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Images showing the debris that had gathered around the bed (Image: Supplied )
Jessie said her long hospital stay had a negative impact on her mental health as she only had curtains for privacy and all her possessions were stored in boxes around her bed.
In a video diary from her hospital bed, she said she felt “very angry, upset and worthless”. The reported in August 2026, 16 months after she arrived, the hospital started legal action against Jessie to repossess the bed she was in.
The NHS trust eventually took High Court action against Jessie, to have her evicted from the hospital bed, which happened in October.
She was arrested and taken to a new care home, where she says she feels anxious. Jessie’s story is a clear example of the pressures on the care system and the knock-on effect they have on the NHS.
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Northampton General Hospital where Jessie lived for 18 months (Image: SWNS )
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said in a statement: “This is a troubling case which shows how our broken NHS discharge system is failing vulnerable people.
“Our 10 Year Health Plan, backed by a £26 billion boost for the NHS and social care, will shift the focus of care from hospital to community and tackle delayed discharges by improving the links between the NHS and social care.”
, police are investigating Jessie for a number of alleged incidents, including for sending offensive emails shortly before she was evicted from the hospital.
Since moving to her new care home, Jessie says she has self-harmed and the police have been called on three occasion, once by her and twice by staff.