A CARE home boss has been suspended after admitting watching porn at work – whilst caring for vulnerable adults.
David Campbell, deputy manager of Ashlea House care home in Callander, near Stirling, has been suspended for 12 months by health watchdogs.
A panel at The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) described his behaviour as “wholly inappropriate.”
Mr Campbell admitted that whilst on duty, he “accessed one or more websites containing pornograhpic content”.
He not not attend the disciplinary hearing in Edinburgh yesterday (Mon) but apologised for “the problems he caused”.
The NMC panel heard that Mr Campbell had accessed several “pornographic” pages half an hour before the end of his shift.
Case Presenter for the NMC, Jane Burgess, revealed that two colleagues discovered the pages on a shared computer.
They checked the rota to find Campbell was the only member of staff on duty that day who needed access to the computer.
She said: “On January 16, at 21.30pm he accessed sites on the work computer, half an hour before the end of the shift at 10pm.
“One of which was www.freeporn.tv. and included a number of sites.
“On January 31, two members of staff, noticed the history showed inappropriate content.
“Colleague A took a photograph on her phone and looked at the rota to find out who had access to the computer at that time.
“She then reported her concerns to colleague C.
“Colleague C reported this to the police and care inspectorate.”
Mr Campbell had been in the post from 2011 but quit his job in April 2013 before the completion of an internal disciplinary process.
The case was first called before the NMC in September last year, after it was alleged he had accessed inappropriate images of ‘granny porn’.
Care home watchdog the Care Inspectorate conducted its own probe into the home, when it was noted that the computer’s history had been deleted.
But police had found a picture of the screen showing titles of pornographic sites which had been accessed.
Mrs Burgess added: “Police stated that they had taken charge of the computer.
“They said the history had been deleted.
“And no harm had been found to have happened to any of the residents in care.
“No further criminal action was taken.”
At the previous hearing Campbell sent a written denial of the allegation.
In a report last August, the care inspectorate concluded there was “sufficient evidence to assess that on the balance of probabilities the deputy manager did access the websites while at work”.
However he admitted deleting the internet history after being spoken to by the home manager about the incident.
Chairwoman for the NMC, Anne Booth, said: “The registrant’s behaviour was wholly inappropriate in that he accessed pornography whilst at work on work’s computer, whilst on duty.
“The only qualified nurse on duty at the time and therefore the only responsible nurse on duty at the home.
“There is no evidence that any harm has come to any residents in his care.
“However, it is noted that the registrant works with vulnerable adults.”
“We are satisfied that his fitness to practice has been impaired by misconduct.
“The appropriate sanction in this case is a 12-month suspension order.”
Ashlea House, which is part of a group of care homes owned by Mauricare Drumpark Limited.
It cares for up to 25 residents, some of whom have physical and learning disabilities.
