Former glamour model Katie Price tells of her anguish over son Harvey's future
Former glamour model Katie Price has spoken of her anguish over her son Harvey’s future because of a lack of funding for his care.
Katie, who has been evicted from her home in Dial Post near Horsham – dubbed a ‘mucky mansion’ – says that she has been told that West Sussex County Council will not fund Harvey’s care because he has ‘no healthcare issues.’
She says an assessor concluded that 22-year-old Harvey, who has a number of disabilities, needed only ‘social care’ which meant that he would have to leave a specialist residential college in Gloucestershire.
However, West Sussex County Council says that it was not its decision but that of NHS Gloucestershire.
Speaking on her podcast, the Katie Price Show, the TV star said: “Everyone knows Harvey has healthcare issues.” She said Harvey was now set to move nearer to her new home in Sussex.
She said: “So now obviously the doctors and all that are good with me. He has a passport for the hospital, he's on medicine to keep him alive, he's cortisol deficient so can go into adrenaline crisis at any time.
“If he's ill he ends up in hospital, what are they on about? Anyone out there if you're in a situation like me, like everyone knows Harvey has healthcare issues, it's been documented and I've done documentaries on it, but they just think it's behaviour.
"I'm like 'are you kidding me?', and I'm now having to appeal, even his social worker from West Sussex is like 'you need to appeal it'. They disagree with it. It's all because of money.
“I will not be letting Harvey suffer but it looks like he will be coming home. Not home, I mean a place nearer me, up the road. He won't be able to stay at college after Christmas.”
A spokesperson for West Sussex County Council said: “This was a decision taken by NHS Gloucestershire. We do not have any comment.”
A spokesperson from NHS Gloucestershire said: “Whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, we do have an appeals process in place, where a family can request a review of the original decision.
“We understand that parents and families want the best support available to meet the specific needs of their loved ones.
“Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service would be happy to talk to the parent concerned about her options.”