AN ANDOVER teenager whose life was turned upside down last year by two debilitating and life threatening strokes has had vital funding axed forcing him to withdraw from a specialist rehabilitation centre in Surrey earlier than expected.

Connor Bestford, who collapsed with a stroke while shopping in a supermarket with his brother, has been making significant progress over the past six months at a centre in Banstead which specialises in treating young people.

He can now walk with difficulty and talk, but his mother, hairdresser Karen, thinks his progress will slow and his future be less enjoyable now that he has come home early.

Karen said: “The PCT are cutting the funding when he is only half-way through and he needs to spend more time there – a further three months and he’s only half way through some of his projects.

“There has been a massive improvement but he is left with Aspasia which means that he knows what he wants to say but is unable to make the sound come out of his mouth.

“Another three months there will see him continue to improve but the PCT decision will see him leave half-way so I’m angry about it.”

Now Connor will have to manage at home full time, and although there have been adaptations to the home, Karen is worried about the potential for accidents.

“He has been looking forward to coming home and would like to do voluntary work with animals but he has already fallen down stairs once and we are waiting for a stairlift,” added Karen.

NHS Hampshire say they are not allowed to talk about individual cases due to patient confidentiality but the process of complex rehab goes through different stages and they say they are working together with social care to ensure the services needed are in place. Dr Stuart Ward, medical director, Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth PCT Cluster said: “Ensuring the health needs of patients are met is of paramount importance to NHS Hampshire.

“Patients with brain injuries require packages of rehabilitation including health elements such as breathing, walking and speech, and ‘reablement’ elements which include relearning life skills, such as having a shower or preparing food and drinks.

”We therefore work closely with our local authority partners to ensure smooth transfers into ongoing social care at this stage.”

Andover MP Sir George Young has taken up the case with NHS Hampshire.