Hadleigh girl continues hospital stay in care package battle

Lovelle (middle, with her siblings) has remained in hospital for 200 days after she was considered fit for discharge

A family said it had been "pulled apart" in a care dispute that had left their daughter in hospital, despite her being ready to come home for 200 days.

Lovelle Treadwell, 3, had respiratory failure but is fit for discharge.

However, her parents said she did not have an appropriate care package in place and needed medically qualified staff to help her overnight.

Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board said it was "progressing with the required arrangements" for Lovelle.

Lovelle's parents Sarah and Greg Treadwell said they felt the only way to keep their daughter safe was to refuse her discharge

The girl, from Hadleigh in Essex, has cerebral palsy and was admitted to intensive care at Southend Hospital after suffering respiratory failure overnight on 9 September.

She needs around-the-clock care and is at constant risk of respiratory failure as a result of oxygen complications at birth.After a short time in hospital, she became ready for discharge on 13 October.

A company, funded by the NHS, offered a carer for the family between 22:00 and 07:00 each night at home and for eight hours during the day between Monday and Thursday.

However, Lovelle's parents, Sarah and Greg Treadwell, said they had various concerns about the package and wanted medically trained carers.

Mrs Treadwell said they had to "put our foot down" as "we felt unsafe" to take her home.

She spends Monday to Friday at hospital with her daughter, while Mr Treadwell works during the week and takes over at the weekend.

Lovelle's parents praised the staff at Southend Hospital for the ongoing care of their daughter

Mr Treadwell said "if we want to keep her safe we have no alternative" but to refuse Lovelle's discharge, as it was the only way "to be able to sleep at night without worrying ourselves".

He added they had been "pulled apart by this" and they wanted her at home with her siblings, so they could "be a family".

A spokesman for Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board said: "We continue to work closely with [the parents] and we are pleased that we are progressing with the required arrangements to facilitate the discharge of their daughter from hospital at the earliest opportunity."