The family of a bed-ridden woman reduced to living in her lounge have spoken of her misery after housing bosses admitted they do not have an adequate place for her to live.
Katie Hatch, 21, spends all day in a hospital bed in the living room of her family home as a result of debilitating injuries she suffered as a result of contracting meningitis at the age of 15.
She struggles to move because of the pain caused by her condition and she needs regular hospital visits and medication.
Her father Trevor Hatch has hit out at his landlord Hyndburn Homes, which manages social housing in the borough, for the ‘chronic’ lack of appropriate housing and for turning down their request to make urgent improvements to their home.
Trevor said: “It is awful, she is in her bed all day.
“She is really upset and sick of what has happened to her and has told me a few times that she is desperate for the situation to change.
“Her life has changed such a lot since she was younger. She wants to go back to how she was before but knows it can’t happen.
“When she was younger she used to go out to kickbox and see friends. She loved animals and going to the zoo and now she can’t do anything.”
Former North Cliffe school pupil Katie lives on John Street in Clayton-le-Moors, with her dad, her mum Julie and her 18-year-old brother Anton.
Katie, who also used to attend White Ash school, Oswaldtwistle, is a former member of Billy Battrick kickboxing club in Accrington.
The family has proposed an £8,000 scheme which would have involved removing the front ground floor window at the house and installing a patio door to make access in and out easier for Katie.
But housing bosses say it would not solve the problem.
Trevor said the family need a new home for Katie which is equipped with disabled access facilities.
He added: “She can’t get out.”
Mr Hatch said that he believes the only way the family will be able to find a suitable home for Katie is if he moves out of the family home with his daughter.
He said “It is huge effort just to leave the living room and getting out of the house can take up to half an hour. It is really frustrating for her.
“She is bed-bound in a hospital bed with a hoist to help lift her up, uses a catheter and is on morphine and painkilling medication.
“We love each other but we have to think of Katie. She is getting really upset by this too.
“I have been on the waiting list for a house that could take all of us but there aren’t any and I need to think of what’s best for her.
“We are only on so much in benefits and if we get another place then all the bills will be doubled.”
The father-of-four says she struggles to be transported out of their home by ambulance crews.
Nigel Fenton, managing director of Hyndburn Homes, said the proposed changes to the house would ‘not offer the solution that they deserve’.
He said: “We are very sorry Mr Hatch is unhappy and we are doing all we can to support the family.
“Although the property was suitable when the tenants moved in many years ago, their situation has changed.
“As there are no washing, bathing or toilet facilities downstairs, we believe they need a more suitable home.
“Unfortunately, all the properties in our ownership that may be suitable are occupied by other residents at the moment.”
He added: “Back in October we offered to support the family so that they could apply for a new home owned by another housing provider.
“We remain committed to supporting them and would like to discuss the chance to assist them again.”
