A KILWINING dad suffering from ‘locked-in’ Syndrome is not getting the help he needs, his family claim.

Robert Dorrian was left him completely paralysed - but still fully cognitive after suffering a stroke two years ago.

His devastated family told STV the 55-year-old is a prisoner in his own body and is only able to communicate by blinking , squeezing their hands or through his spelling chart.

The Kilwinning dad is unable to speak or move and has spent the last two years inside a hospital high dependency unit.

Robert’s family claims he is not being offered the physio treatment he requires to get better despite showing improvement in his muscle strength.

Robert’s sister Elaine, told STV News: “My brother has been here for 23 months and the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke tell you that stroke patients must, and I underline must, receive ten to 12 hours a week of rehabilitation physio - Robert has been here 23 months and has had 12 hours.”

Robert suffered a brain stem stroke in 2017and was put into an induced coma in a bid to relieve swelling pressure around his brain.

But when he awoke from the coma, doctors had to break the devastating news to his family that he was locked-in.

His family said there are only two wards at the hospital able to deal with a patient with his condition - high dependency and ‘Ear, Nose and Throat’ as Robert also has a tracheotomy.

Robert’s daughter Shelby is heavily involved in his care programme, but that has come at a cost to her own mental health and social life.

“We try and have some normality so I go to work but everyday it’s finishing work and coming to see my dad, the weekend is visiting my dad and you feel guilty if you do have fun, if you go out and do something,” she said.

“You just feel guilty about it because you just have thing in the back of your head all of the time that my dad’s lying in a hospital bed and he can’t ask for help or, you know, do anything for himself so it has been a really difficult two years,” she added.

Robert’s son, also called Robert said: “It’s been almost two years since my dad was hospitalised with Locked In syndrome. He continues to fight each day but still isn’t receiving the care required which could helpfully lead to an improvement in his condition. No physio care is being granted (and we want) to highlight this lack of care. Hopefully this will highlight the issues faced and provide a breakthrough to get the help needed.”