Patient who had bed-blocked for 2 years after refusing to leave hospital and costing the taxpayer £340k is finally evicted after court order – but now he’s gone on a hunger strike
Adriano Guedes, who had a stroke in 2014, is now living in a council flat
A BED blocker who refused to leave hospital for more than TWO years has finally been evicted - but now he's gone on hunger strike.
Portugese-born Adriano Guedes cost taxpayers £340,000 during his 24-month stint in James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk.
He was admitted after having a stroke in 2014 - but when it was time to go home, the 63-year-old said no.
After a court found him to be "fit and well" he was evicted from the hospital and offered a offered a home.
But former union rep Guedes now claims the ground floor council flat's "isolated" location from fellow Portuguese people will make his life not worth living.
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Mr Guedes, who came to the UK from Portgual 15 years ago, claims he had asked to be moved out of hospital into a "wheelchair-friendly place" and to see a spinal specialist in London for his injuries.
He said: "I wanted to leave but they always offered what they knew I would refuse.
"It's very bad to occupy a place which should be used by someone in need, but I didn't cause the situation. On the contrary - I tried to get out of there."
He was finally evicted on January 10 after the hospital obtained a court order, saying he had occupied the bed "unnecessarily".
After being taken to the flat on the same day he refused to enter the building or sign any documents despite the presence of social workers, carers and paramedics.
Since then he has gone on hunger strike and is refusing everything but liquids. He admits he has drank orange juice since starting the protest.
He said: "At the beginning I even had (to go on) hunger strike because I decided with no help at all I decided to stop my life.
"I'm just waiting for a way out. Either things work out or I pass away.
"(It's) nothing personal, I don't want to be isolated. I need to have carers changing me three or four times a day.
"It is not a life. I need to have my family and friends around to be your eyes, to be your ears (and) to be your legs."
Anna Hills, the hospital's director of governance, said Mr Guedes had "repeatedly refused all offers of appropriate accommodation organised by our local authority and social care partners, despite being fit for discharge".
Neighbours reported seeing Mr Guedes "slumped" in a wheelchair on the pavement for around seven hours on the day he was taken to the flat in Suffolk.
When he finally agreed to enter the house he fell on the floor and had to be lifted by paramedics.
He says he is not complaining about the carers, who visit him four times a day, but is unhappy with its location.
Only one room in the flat is furnished with a bed, hoist, and a cardboard box for a table, he claims.
He also said it has no curtains, no working central heating, just an electric fire and he can't leave his bed without help.
The hospital also said it had worked "throughout in partnership with a range of agencies to achieve a safe discharge from the hospital".
It said "detailed planning" had taken place which "led to a successful discharge in this complex case".
The hospital applied to the court for a possession order to claim back the bed occupied by the man.
It was granted on 1 December and Mr Guedes was evicted a month later.
The Department for Health says the average cost of a hospital bed is about £400 day.
Mr Guedes says he doesn't want to claim benefits or live in a care home and wants to live independently with visiting carers.
He said: "I feel very bad. I know it's from my heart it's very bad to occupy a place that should be used by someone in need but at the same time I didn't cause the situation."
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