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.