A SUPPORT worker has been allowed to return to care after failing to shower a vulnerable patient with dementia after they’d soiled themselves.
Sandra Clark was given a 24-month warning after her misconduct at Southside Older People’s Service in Glasgow April 2020.
Clark also left the same patient sitting naked from the waist down and didn’t cover her with a sheet or towel.
The dementia care worker failed to maintain the vulnerable resident’s dignity and was also found to have shouted and sworn at the same woman.
She said: “Stop this f*****g carry on.
“No, it’s time to get up, come on.
“Behave yourself, I told you it’s time to get up.”
On Tuesday the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) ruled against striking Clark from their register and instead placed a warning over her name for 24 months.
They noted that Clark had not cooperated with their investigation but that she had expressed some remorse and insight into her actions.
In their decision the SSSC wrote: “Social care workers should treat vulnerable people in their care with respect and keep them safe from harm.
“You shouted and swore at AA.
“This was serious and could have caused distress to AA especially as AA is a vulnerable resident living with (Information redacted).
“Social care workers should also maintain the dignity of vulnerable residents.
“You did not shower AA when AA soiled herself and left AA sitting naked from the waist down without covering AA.
“The behaviour is serious as this is not the standard that is expected of social care workers.
“There is a risk that you may repeat this behaviour as there is not any evidence that you have corrected the behaviour.
“There is therefore a risk to the public including residents. Your actions are also likely to negatively affect public confidence in the social care profession.
“After referring to our Decisions Guidance, we decided the appropriate sanction is to place a warning on your registration for a period of two years.
“A warning marks the behaviour as unacceptable and that it should not happen again.”
The two-year notice of warning comes into effect on 13 September 2022.
