Disgraced Scots carer struck off after “shoving” service user into a wall and hitting another colleague with a trolley

A DISGRACED Scots carer has been struck off after a string of abusive actions that saw her “shove” a service user into a wall as well as hitting another colleague with a tea trolley.

Carol Smith was employed as a care assistant by HC One Limited in Greenfield Park Care Home in Glasgow when the offences took place in October 2021.

The 53-year-old was found to have sworn at a member of staff in reference to a care user – simply referred to as AA – shouting: “Why did you tell f***ing AA you would take her to the toilet?”

She was also found to have pushed a service user into his wheelchair and threatened to leave him there, calling him “lazy”.

Smith was additionally found to have “shoved” another service user into a wall adjoining her bed the following day, before squashing the service user’s face into the wall with her palm.

As well as this, the disgraced carer was found to have hit another colleague with a tea trolley, repeatedly “banging into them” when passing by.

This led to a hearing of care watchdog, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), to consider Ferguson’s fitness to practise, where they found the carer guilty.

The SSSC’s full report reads: “Social service workers must not abuse or harm people who use services or colleagues.

“You shoved a resident into the wall and squashed the resident’s face into the wall.

“You also pushed a resident into his wheelchair, hit a colleague with a tea trolley and repeatedly banged into that colleague.

“This behaviour raises serious concerns regarding your suitability to work in a caring and responsible profession.

“This behaviour demonstrates a pattern of aggressive behaviour and values issues which call into question your suitability for professional registration.

“Social service workers are expected to maintain the dignity of service users and communicate in an appropriate way with users of services and colleagues.

“You have called a resident lazy, threatened to leave a resident in his wheelchair and sworn at a colleague.

“This behaviour falls well below the level of professionalism expected of social service workers.”

Whilst the SSSC found that Smith “engaged in a meaningful manner” and acknowledged the causes of concern, the panel agreed that she was ultimately unfit to practice.

They stated: “The behaviour was deliberate and at its highest could be considered physically and emotionally abusive, both towards residents and colleagues.

“You were experienced and would have known that acting in this manner was not appropriate.

“This behaviour occurred within your place of work and is likely to impact on the reputation of the social services profession.

“Your actions demonstrate a pattern of abusive and aggressive behaviour towards more than one individual.

“The behaviour resulted in emotional distress to one resident and had the potential to cause physical harm to two residents.

“You were entrusted to work with vulnerable residents within the care home and you have demonstrated behaviour that amounts to a fundamental failure to follow the Codes of Practice.

“You have physically and emotionally abused residents. This is an abuse of the trust placed in you to work with vulnerable individuals.”

The panel agreed that removal from the register was the most appropriate action for Smith.

They stated: “A warning would not be appropriate as the behaviour is at the higher end of the scale of impairment and a warning would not sufficiently address the ongoing public protection concerns which arise from it.

“A condition would not be appropriate because the allegations involve aggressive and abusive behaviour.

“There are no conditions which could be placed on you which would address why your fitness to practice has been impaired due to the nature of the behaviour.

“The SSSC considers a removal order is the most appropriate sanction as it is both necessary and justified in the public interest and to maintain the continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession and the SSSC as the regulator of the profession.”

A spokesperson for Greenfield Park said: “We take the comfort and wellbeing of our Residents exceptionally seriously, and we do not tolerate behaviour which undermines this.

“We are clear that the actions of Ms Smith are unacceptable, and can confirm that she has not worked for HC-One in any capacity since these incidents came to light two years ago.

“We support the decision of the SSSC, and we will always support action being taken to protect the dignity of older people in care.”