A Dundee support worker has been hauled in front of a regulator after denying the Holocaust took place and telling a recovering drug addict to stop taking medication.
Gary Tarr, who worked at a support facility for the city’s vulnerable, was found to have made anti-Semitic comments during a debate in the staff office.
Mr Tarr announced the Holocaust, which saw an estimated six million Jews killed by the Nazis in World War Two, “didn’t happen”.
He added there is “no evidence” it took place, or words to that effect, according to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
The regulator did not find the comments amounted to misconduct however.
A panel found the words were made “unknowingly and unintentionally” and he had aimed to be “non-conformist” rather than anti-Semitic.
‘Don’t listen to the doctors’
It did on the other hand find misconduct proven when, on another occasion, Mr Tarr tried to encourage a drug user to stop taking his required medication.
He told the resident, named in documents as BB, “you don’t need to take it” and “don’t listen to the doctors”, despite the treatment being essential for his health.
In making a decision, adjudicators from the organisation recognised Mr Tarr’s employers judged periods of his work “excellent” and he regularly showed empathy towards service users.
But they ruled his conduct, which took place in early 2020, was “insensitive” and “serious” and could have caused emotional and physical harm to the service user.
‘Insensitive’ comments
In a letter addressed to Mr Tarr, they said: “You were in a position of trust in relation to BB and aware of his vulnerability.
“You were tasked with administering his medication.
“The point at which your comments were made was insensitive to BB’s needs and you persisted with your comments despite BB telling you he had to take that level of medication for good reason.
“There was potential for your misconduct to have caused physical or emotional harm had BB followed your advice.
“The Panel could not say that your misconduct would not recur.
“On the evidence available, there is nothing to suggest that you have changed the way you would work with vulnerable service users.”
A warning has been placed on his registration for two years and he is required to complete additional training in appropriate communication and professional boundaries.
Mr Tarr no longer works at the facility, run by the charity Transform Community Development.
