A patient left severely handicapped after a road a

A patient left severely handicapped after a road accident was poked in the head and sworn at by a nurse looking after him, a disciplinary hearing was told today.

(wed)

Youris Hoven was part of a team of ten nurses entrusted with the round-the-clock care of the 32-year-old man at his specially adapted home in Llanelli.

Tragically, he was left severely mentally and physically handicapped after suffering head injuries in a car crash when he was 18.

The UKCC heard how the man, referred to as patient A, hit Hoven, 30, in the face after a speech therapy lesson.

Instead of letting the patient cool down Hoven, now in fulltime employment at University Hospital in Cardiff, started swearing at him, and poked his head backwards and forwards during the assault, it was claimed.

Margaret Bromley, for the UKCC, said patient A was attacked in front of another care assistant, Sarah Johns.

‘Mr Hoven came into the room and patient A seemed to be annoyed and lashed out with his left arm hitting Mr Hoven in the face.

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‘What is in dispute is Mr Hoven’s reaction to that blow.

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It is claimed Miss Johns saw Hoven fly into a rage, swear at the patient and hold him by the chain.

‘Patient A’s reaction was to become infuriated and then hit Hoven,’ continued Miss Bromley.

‘Hoven physically assaulted patient A by poking him with his finger on several occasions.

‘The force of the pressure from Hoven’s finger caused patient A’s head to rock backwards and forwards.

‘Patient A eventually became completely exhausted and was left on his own.

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The UKCC heard that patient A had received severe head injuries following a road traffic accident on August 21, 1986 – a month after his 18th birthday.

But he gradually defied a doctor’s prediction he would remain a ‘cabbage.

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And his speech started improving until he had mastered 12 words.

But a severe chest infection in 1997 left him fighting for life in intensive care for 34 weeks, robbing him of his speech.

According to the patient’s father he would become extremely frightened if not treated with respect but his only fully working limb, his left arm, was very strong.

And referring to a statement from the father Miss Bromley said:

‘Using his left arm for an arm wrestle is something he is always challenging us to.

‘You just have to be very careful and keep on his righthand side and just withdraw if he is being aggressive – for goodness sake withdraw.

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But the dad added: ‘I can truthfully say he was extremely happy.

He is a jokey sort of person, full of fun.

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His father immediately called Hoven’s agency, Thornbury Nursing Services, on May 11, 1999 and called for a replacement.

Hoven, from Cardiff, denies misconduct by physically and verbally abusing patient A.

The hearing continues.

ends