A man with behavioural difficulties is staying on a hospital children’s ward because appropriate accommodation has yet to be found, a judge in a specialist court has heard.

The 18-year-old had been admitted earlier this year, before his 18th birthday, for medical reasons but no longer needed to be in hospital, Mr Justice Poole was told.

The judge has approved security measures put in place to protect the man, and other people at the hospital in Sussex.

Mr Justice Poole said there had been “something of a stand-off” between public bodies involved relating to responsibility for commissioning of the man’s care.

The judge said it was “unedifying” for public authorities to disagree over who was responsible for the care of a vulnerable person.

He said they were spending money on court hearings while arguing over the costs of care.

Mr Justice Poole aired his thoughts at the latest in a series of hearings in the Court of Protection, where issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves are considered, in London.

Lawyers told him that they hoped a solution to the problem had now been found.

MOST READ:

The judge, who also hears cases in the Family Division of the High Court, said he aimed to review the case in the near future.

Mr Justice Poole said the man could not be identified in media reports of the case.

But he said lawyers representing University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which is based in Worthing, had asked him to make decisions about what moves were in the man’s best interests – and said West Sussex County Council was also involved in the case.

“There has been something of a stand-off between parties in relation to the commissioning of care,” he said.

“It is unedifying for public authorities to disagree over who is responsible for the care of a vulnerable adult.”

“The parties are spending money on the court hearings whilst arguing about the costs of care.”