NHS employees have spoken out about a man who requires the space of four hospital beds despite being fit to be discharged.
Insiders told The Mirror that 33-year-old Matthew Crawford - who weighs 55 stone - received a discharge letter at least three months ago.
Nevertheless, he's been at the King's Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield since May which has cost the NHS an estimated £250,000 during his six-month stay.
Crawford will remain at the four-bed bay ward until staff after able to find him the right social care space. The reason he's been allocated the area is so that employees have enough space to move him around.
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Before The Mirror exposed the story six weeks ago, the NHS was paying out £7,000 per week - since then, the bill's risen by nearly £60,000.
The insider said: "It beggars belief that he's still on the same ward despite the situation being exposed in the national media.
"The word is that something else has been lined up and he will be on the move, but there are genuine fears he will still be here at Christmas.
"The last unit he was due to go to cancelled the place after learning about his past. They wanted nothing to do with him."
This isn't the first time Crawford's hit the headlines, as he was also convicted for assaulting four nurses at the care home he was previously staying at near Newark.
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Furthermore, leaked information suggested Crawford frequently ordered pizza and takeaways to eat on the ward. However, he has insisted it is not true, while his mum Linda Belshaw hit back at the accusations and said last month that he's not bed blocking deliberately.
Taking to Twitter, he said: "Just want to set the record straight, I don't spend all my money on takeaways.
"I might get 300 quid a fortnight but I spend over 100 quid every fortnight on food shopping.
"If people tasted the food in this place you would know why I buy my own food."
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The guy has a point, although some of the NHS staff members do not agree. Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust said: "It is disappointing when despite all our efforts we still have patients in hospital who we recognise should not be here.
"It means there are less beds available for those needing hospital treatment.
"We will continue to work with our partners to try to find a better solution."
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