Family of Bowes teen's savings wiped out caring for teen

George Rabbet-Smith’s family have revealed the unbelievable cost of caring for their ill son, 18, as they say their life savings have gone in the fifteen months since he tried to take his own life.

On June 4, 2023, mum Hilary and dad David returned to their Bowes, County Durham home to find their son, then 17, had attempted to take his own life. They performed CPR and he was airlifted to hospital, spending his 18th birthday in a coma last November.

George is still facing considerable challenges on his road to recovery, needs specialist care and has difficulty communicating.

Now the family have been told they’ll have to fork out themselves for a vital armchair, costing more than £4.6k, and sleeping equipment, needed to aid his recovery.

George with mum Hilary and dad David. (Image: FAMILY)

The family say they were told earlier this year they’d be able to get the specialist furniture through NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, but at a meeting four weeks ago were told that would no longer be the case.

“They aren’t going to provide George with equipment that’s essential to his care”, mum Hilary told the Echo.

“It’s like breaking your arm and being told you can’t have a cast.

“We were told George would need a sleep system and chair to help his recovery. In February at a CHC meeting they said this would be provided, but now they’ve said it won’t be as his care needs aren’t great enough.”

The chair, which costs £4620, and sleep system, which the family are yet to receive a quote for, will help support the spine and keep George in a position to aid his posture.

George with mum Hilary as he collected his A-Level results in August. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Hilary says the family will appeal the decision but have turned to launching an online fundraiser to try and buy the items, which will bring their 18-year-old son a step closer to returning home.

“That’s not money we have got lying around. That’s why we are fundraising,” Hilary added.

“We have nothing left.

“Our savings have gone, and my husband lost his job.

“We are probably going to have to raise more to get him home, there would be extra changes we need to do to the house. We want it to be a normal family home, not a home with a medical wing.”

George, who continues to communicate mainly by muttering and blinking, has been living at a specialist care facility in Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, since June 24 this year, after spending more than 12 months in James Cook, the RVI, and Walkergate rehab hospitals.

The family hoped to have him home for his 19th birthday, or by the end of the year, but now say that won’t happen.

In August he collected his A-Level results based on first-year mock exams alongside his proud parents.

Before George, who was given 48 hours to live after his suicide attempt, can come home the family will need to do works on their 1740-built house, and are waiting for social services to assess what work can be done under funding.

George Rabbet-Smith. (Image: FAMILY) He had been badly affected by the deaths of two of his friends – one in a car crash a few weeks earlier and another from a heart attack.

“We have had to fight at every turn,” Hilary said.

“The nightmare was bad enough that George attempted to end his life, it’s bad enough that we found him, it’s bad enough that we had to fight for him to stay alive and not have his life support taken away.

“We are at a point people are acknowledging he is making progress, but now we can’t get we need on a daily basis.”

Hilary has laid bare the costs of caring for George which she never expected to face.

Items he needs like an enteral bag are costing the family £20 a pop, and a box of nine dressings for his tracheostomy hole which his care home couldn’t get on prescription cost them £32. The family has also spent hundreds travelling day and night to be at their son’s side.

She says those costs quickly chew through George’s £311 of monthly benefits.

“That doesn’t even last two weeks”, she added.

George with (L-R) friend Adiy Ahmed, mum Hilary and dad David as he collected his A-Level results. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“I’ll fight for George – I won’t give in. I will win this battle.

“The system is letting people down.

“We are fortunate people – we are strong, educated, and able. That sounds snobbish, but for people who can’t keep going what are they left with?”

Long term Hilary wants to give up work to care for George at home, and hopes he will continue his recovery.

David Purdue, chief nursing officer at North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), which is responsible for decisions on CHC funding, said: “We would like to share our best wishes with the whole family and understand that they will wish to provide the very best care and support they can.

“We are not able to comment on the detail of individual patients' cases, but we are working with the Council and will be in touch with the family to listen and support with their concerns as far as we can."

George had dreams of becoming a professional sportsman, or hoping to become an MMA fighter. He now watches fights and football games on TV.

His family launched the charity ‘I’m George’s Mate’ in his name last year, initially to give them a focus while George fought for his life in hospital. It now aims to educate young people about suicide and has a host of fundraising activities planned in the coming months.

Last week friends and family completed a three-peaks challenge in Yorkshire, and Hilary ran last month’s Great North Run.

Lee Alexander, Durham County Council’s head of adult care, added: “Our thoughts are with George and his family in what must be very difficult circumstances. We are working closely with the ICB, in accordance with national guidance, to ensure that the right support is in place to allow George’s long-term care needs to be met.”

Recommended reading:

• North East GP 'planned to kill his mum's partner with fake Covid booster jab'
• Notorious killer who strangled boy after release from Aycliffe centre denied parole
• Tribute to 'bubbly' Darlington grandmother who died just months after beating cancer

Get more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. Get access for one month for just £1, or get 30% off an annual subscription with our latest offer. Click here.

If you are in need of support you can contact the following:

- Samaritans is available, day or night, 365 days of the year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

- If U Care Share on 0191 387 5661 or text IUCS to 85258

- SANE on 07984 967 708, Calm on 0800 58 58 58