A SCOTS carer has been issued a warning after making foul-mouthed assault threats towards service users in her care.
Melissa Donaghy employed as a bank carer at Abbotsford Care Ltd in Glenrothes, Fife when she committed the offences between April 2022 and November 2022.
Donaghy’s threats included telling one service user – known only as AA – that she would “take those wheels off and stick them where the f***ing sun doesn’t shine”.
She was also found to have threatened to assault another service user whilst speaking to a colleague before also telling a third user: “You are stinking of s***e.”
Care watchdog the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) have since addressed Donaghy’s behaviour, deeming the carer unfit to practice, placing a warning on her registration for one year.
The SSSC’s full report reads: “While employed as a Bank Carer by Abbotsford Care (Glenrothes) Limited, and during the course of that employment, you did:
“On or around 1 May 2022, say to service user AA ‘I’m just going to tell you I’m going to take those wheels off and stick them where the f***ing sun doesn’t shine’ or words to that effect.
“On an exact date unknown to the SSSC between 28 April 2022 and 10 November 2022 when AA asked to go for a cigarette say ‘you have not long f***ing been out, you will have to wait’ or words to that effect.
“On or around 2 May 2022 say to your colleague ZZ in relation to service user BB ‘I’m going to set my moonboot and put it up his a**e’ or words to that effect.
“On or around 9 November 2022 say to a service user CC ‘you are stinking of sh**e’ or words to that effect.”
The SSSC then reasoned: “Your fitness to practise is impaired because: A) Your behaviour is serious and falls well below the standards of conduct expected of you.
“Social service workers are expected to communicate in an appropriate, open, accurate and straightforward way. They are expected not to abuse, neglect or harm people who use services.
“The language you have used towards service users is abusive and threatening and may cause significant emotional harm.
“Abusive behaviour towards to those in your care is a breach of the trust and confidence service users place on social service workers.
“B) Repeated behaviour of this nature suggests attitudinal and values issues. You have demonstrated a pattern of behaviour towards multiple service users over a prolonged period of time.
“You have shown limited insight into the seriousness of this matter.
“You have not provided reassurances that your behaviour would not occur again and therefore the [Fitness to Practice] Department and the wider public cannot be satisfied that the behaviour would not be repeated.
“C) The public expect that social service workers will provide safe and effective care to vulnerable people when they are unable to do these things for themselves
“The SSSC has a duty to protect the public and to reaffirm the clear standards of professional conduct expected of social service workers.
“The SSSC needs to take these necessary steps to restore and maintain the confidence that members of the public place on the social service workforce and on the integrity of the SSSC Register.”
Donaghy was found to have shown little remorse for her actions, with the panel adding: “The behaviour did occur within the workplace where you were trusted to care for vulnerable service users.
“You have shown limited insight regarding the allegations. This has not been an isolated incident and appears to show a pattern of behaviour over a number of months.”
The panel agreed that a warning was the best sanction, with Donaghy being instructed to take a refresher course as well as a reflection account, detailing her actions and their impact on the sector.
A spokesperson for Abbotsford Care Limited said: “As a responsible employer committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, we take any concerns regarding employee conduct very seriously.
“Upon discovering issues pertaining to the individual’s performance, we took necessary action by initiating an internal review and subsequently referring the matter to the appropriate regulatory body, the SSSC, for further investigation.
“Our priority has always been and continues to be the well-being and safety of those we care for, and we fully cooperated with the SSSC throughout their inquiry process.
“It is important to emphasise that the behaviour exhibited by the individual, who is a former employee of the organisation, does not reflect our values or standards.
“We remain dedicated to maintaining a positive and supportive environment conducive to delivering quality services to our community.
“We appreciate the trust and confidence placed in us by our community, and we assure them that all necessary steps to address this matter were done so thoroughly and transparently.
“Should anyone have any further questions or concerns, we encourage them to reach out to us directly.”
