Nurses found to replace boy minder

By AINSLEY THOMSON and NZPA

Two district health nurses were last night caring for a tetraplegic Napier man after revelations that his 11-year-old grandson had been his sole carer.

John Jury, 52, of Napier, was seriously injured in a car crash 27 years ago and his grandson Luke had lately been missing school to care for him full-time.

Mr Jury, who has been unable to walk, eat or go to the toilet by himself since the accident, said Luke was looking after him because "there was nobody else".

Professional caregivers had refused to look after him because, they said, he had behaved badly and was verbally abusive.

Hawkes Bay District Health Board spokeswoman Karalyn van Deursen said that two district nurses were at the Jury household last night and would remain until midday today.

Luke Jury has had to act as his grandfather's full-time carer for at least two months.

He returned to school at the start of this week after intervention from the school, the truancy service and police.

The Herald understands Mr Jury has verbally abused care workers.

Yesterday, Hawke's Bay Today reported that a caregiver hired recently quit after three sessions.

The newspaper said the private caregiver had been hired at close to three times the normal hourly rate for the job.

It said it is understood private care agencies refused to work with Mr Jury because of his behaviour.

Despite numerous promises to talk to the Herald yesterday, Mr Jury declined to speak.

Another man living at the house, who said he was Luke's father, said "there are two sides to every story", but refused to elaborate and hung up.

ACC Minister Ruth Dyson said the main problem was caregivers.

"The relationships have not been at a level that caregivers frankly would go in there. They have just refused and ACC ended up having to intervene on a number of occasions where they couldn't get appropriate staff to give Mr Jury the care he was entitled to receive,"

Ms Dyson said the relationship of Mr Jury and ACC then broke down.

"This is not acceptable ... Mr Jury cannot be cared for by an 11-year-old."

Mike Dixon-McIver, advocate for Mr Jury, said he expected the agencies to "get something into place, even if it's only interim".

"He's a gentleman. I could imagine at times he may well be difficult. After 27 years lying on my back, I would be difficult."

The story so far:

* Car-crash victim John Jury, a tetraplegic, needs 24-hour care.
* Caregivers do not want to work with Mr Jury because he abuses them.
* His 11-year-old grandson, Luke, was his carer for at least two months.
* Government and health agencies will meet today to try to arrange care for Mr Jury.