SHAMEFUL; Exclusive Alex endures 66-mile school run but council boss too busy to care.

Byline: By Chris Musson

PARALYSED Alex McGregor endured a marathon school run yesterday - as a social work chief refused to discuss his plight.

Alex, 13, attends a school just five minutes from his family home in Ayrshire.

But because a red tape fiasco has left him stranded in hospital for a year, he has to be taken on a 66-mile trip to the school every day.

The Record revealed Alex's plight yesterday.

But North Ayrshire Council social work director Bernadette Docherty refused to be interviewed to explain the shambles.

A spokeswoman said she was not available all day, despite being in the office.

She also refused to comment on how and when the situation would be resolved.

Alex has been left in hospital because the council and NHS chiefs in Ayrshire cannot agree on funding full-time carers - despite his home being equipped last year with pounds 50,000 worth of medical equipment.

Alex's mum Joanne, 37, fears her son, who breathes using a ventilator, could die before he is allowed home.

Health bosses in Glasgow, who are providing specialist care for Alex at Yorkhill Hospital, confirmed funding problems between the Ayrshire authorities were to blame.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran executive medical director Dr Bob Masterton said: "NHS Ayrshire and Arran are working closely with North Ayrshire Council, Yorkhill and Mrs McGregor and have agreed a care pathway to deliver Alex back home as soon as clinically appropriate.

"Recruitment to the posts is under way to allow us to deliver this care pathway."

Meanwhile, Alex did his daily trip of 66 miles by taxi between Stanecastle Special School in his home town of Irvine and Yorkhill.

Widowed mum-of-five Joanne, who was able to see her son at the school's coffee morning for parents yesterday, said she was also struggling with the two-hour bus trip to Yorkhill each day.

She said: "Thursdays are great because I get to see Alex at the school coffee morning.

"But the rest of the week it's difficult. Alex is very vulnerable and it's a lot of disruption for him having to do this every day in a taxi."

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Cathy Jamieson said: "This is a young child's life. Everybody involved needs to treat it as an absolute priority."

CAPTION(S):

9AM FRAGILE: Alex is helped out of the taxi as he arrives at school yesterday; 4PM END OF A LONG DAY: Alex arrives back at Yorkhill hospital after attending school PHIL DYE; NO COMMENT: Social work chief Bernadette Docherty, left, and, right, yesterday's Daily Record