A CARE home manager has been struck off after she fabricated anonymous complaints in a bid to get a colleague sacked.
Sharon Hendry was in charge of Airlie House care home in Ayr, South Ayrshire, when she submitted two “anonymous” letters to the council.
The letters, which she wrote from the point of view of a concerned relative, included allegations that one of her colleagues had a “terrible attitude”.
But her plan failed as she was eventually caught out – and she has now been struck off the register by the social services watchdog.
At a Scottish Social Services Council hearing in Dundee last month, Ms Hendry admitted all twelve charges against her.
The first charge read that between April 2011 and July 2013 she “submitted and/or arranged for the preparation and submission of anonymous letter to South Ayrshire Council with allegations regarding her colleague ZZ.”
One letter, dated 2 July 2012, reads that: “I am writing on behalf of a resident to complain about ZZ’s conduct in her working environment.
“Her attitude towards the residents is terrible. She has no manners or social skills when dealing with residents’ money.
“I overheard her saying that the company needs to cut back on the treats residents get, and the biscuits are costing too much money.”
Another letter, written again from the point of view of a relative, raised concerns that “my mother is charged for outings she has not attended, and charged for hairdressing when she has not been to the hairdressers”.
It concludes: “I hope you can investigate these concerns.”
Other charges which Ms Hendry admitted include “authorising a payment of £711.54 in lieu of holidays to her colleague YY, on the basis that she would receive half this payment.”
She also “took a television, donated to Airlie House by a service user’s family, for her personal use” and “misappropriated a kettle and wall clock which she purchased using Airlie House funds”.
She even “used vouchers purchased as gifts for members of staff to buy herself a pair of ankle boots”.
The SSSC panel described Ms Hendry’s behaviour as “unacceptable”, “dishonest” and an “abuse of her position”.
The decision notice, posted online, reads that: “The submission of two anonymous letters to South Ayrshire Council making false allegations against a colleague had the potential to adversely affect public trust and confidence in the profession and placed her colleague at risk of harm.
“It is behaviour that calls into question her suitability for registration with the council.
“The council considers that a Removal Order is the most appropriate sanction.”
