Katie Hopkins clashes with Robbie Savage over bed blocking comments

Katie Hopkins has clashed with ex footballer Robbie Savage over her comments on social media site Twitter, saying dementia patients should not be blocking beds in hospitals.

The TV personality took to Twitter to make the comments, saying: “Dementia sufferers should not be blocking beds.

“What is the point of life when you no longer know you are living it? “Bang me over the head.”

Two dementia charities have spoken out against her comments and ex professional footballer and ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society Mr Savage said he was ‘mortified’ about her comments while speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live earlier today.

George McNamara, head of policy and public affairs at the Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“These disgraceful remarks only serve to reinforce the stigma that sadly prevents many people with dementia from feeling like valued members of society.

“Ill-informed comments such as these go against all that we know about dementia. People with the condition tell us that with the right support it is entirely possible to live well and take real enjoyment out of daily life.”

There are currently an estimated 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, a number which is expected to rise to one million within the next 10 years.

Mr McNamara continued: “The 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK deserve far more than to be used as bait by people stoking controversy.”

Bed Blocking is a term used to describe patients who are judged as well enough to go home but stay in hospital beds because plans are still being made for their appropriate follow up. This can include care in the community or in their home such as appropriate adaptations to their home or care packages carried out in care homes or through home care services.

While talking on BBC Radio 5 Live as part of a phone in with Ms Hopkins, Mr Savage said: “I lost my hero, my father from a disease which people know nothing about and going on Twitter to vent such stupid , naïve comments beggars belief, I’m mortified.”

Ms Hopkins responded to his comments on the phone, saying: “I have nurses on my account now saying, they do have bed blockers. ‘Bed blocker’ is a term used in the system for people that are dumped in hospital, not like your father, but that are dumped there because they don’t have anywhere else to go. And I have said Robbie, do I want my children to watch me go through that? Absolutely not.”

As part of her string of tweets over the weekend Ms Hopkins wrote: “The day I am diagnosed with dementia is the day I book my ticket to Dignitas. This country treats animals more humanely than humans” Ms Hopkins, who suffers from epilepsy, revealed on the radio station that she has signed an Advanced Directive should she have an epileptic fit that leaves her unable to continue living independently.

An Advanced Directive is sometimes known as an advance decision to refuse treatment (ADRT) that a person can make to refuse a specific type of treatment at some time in the future.

Responding to her comments made on the social media site about dementia, Hilary Evans, director of external affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

“Katie Hopkins should be ashamed at her comments. Views such as these reinforce misunderstanding of dementia and show just how much work there is still to do in changing harmful perceptions of the condition.

"People who have been diagnosed with dementia still face an unacceptable level of stigma and social isolation as a result of their condition, and we need much greater awareness about the reality of life with dementia.

“All too often dementia is talked about in negative terms, and we must challenge the feeling of hopelessness that surrounds the condition. Research has the power to defeat dementia and transform people’s lives, and better public understanding of dementia is vital to lift the stigma surrounding the condition.”