Family push for daughter's removal from Lancashire hospital

Millie McAinsh has been in hospital since January 2024

A mother who is campaigning to have her daughter removed from hospital and taken home has said seeing her "in pain every day" has been "heartbreaking".

Millie McAinsh, 18, was taken to Royal Lancaster Infirmary in January as she could not eat due to what her family said was severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

Mother Lucy Montgomery said she wanted her daughter to be cared for at home.

The NHS trust said staff were working to give her "the best possible care."

Ms Jane McNicholas, chief medical officer at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said due to the "complexities of the case" it would be "inappropriate to comment further".

Millie McAinsh's family said she had struggled in a hospital environment

Millie's sister Abbie said she was a person loved life, and was "so outgoing and spontaneous" before her health began to deteriorate in 2019.

Her family said they believed she has ME and that her resulting hypersensitivity was making her time in a hospital environment intolerable.

ME is also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, with symptoms that can include extreme tiredness, as well as muscle and joint pain, feeling dizzy or sick, and fast or irregular heartbeats.

Images of Millie exhausted in hospital bed - so unable to tolerate touch or light that she has to wear a mask - have been shared widely online, with hundreds of people from across the world sending cards to her family to express their support.

Mille McAinsh's family said they want her to be cared for at home

Abbie said her sister had "gained back the weight she had lost" since being taken to the hospital for support with feedings.

"It's really sad for me to see her so unable to enjoy life, saying to me her quality of life is so low, and saying she just wants to get better."

Ten weeks have passed since she was admitted, and her family are pushing for her to come home with a feeding tube.

"Everyday is painful for her because of this heightened sensitivity," Ms Montgomery said.

She said her daughter had told her she wanted "a quiet environment, which she can't get, it's heartbreaking to have her saying everyday I need to go home, I just need to go home to a quiet place, it's very upsetting".

"I do feel hopeful that working with the hospital, Millie and the solicitor, we will come to an arrangement where Millie can get her needs and her wishes met, and be in an environment that's the best place for her, which is home."