A Fife care assistant who verbally abused a number of residents at a nursing home has been struck off.
Jennifer Conner, who was previously employed at Forth View Care Centre in Methil, has now been removed from the register after a Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) fitness to practise panel found serious failings in her conduct in 2017.
Evidence put before the panel revealed how Conner referred to one resident on an occasion in or around June of that year as a “f****** old c**t”, or words to that effect.
On the same date, while providing personal care to the same client, Conner also acted in an aggressive manner by learning forward, placing her face close to the client’s face and stating “what are you going to do?”, or words to that effect.
The panel also heard how Conner told another resident to “shut your pus”, or words to that effect, on one occasion in January 2017 and, on or around June 26, 2017, state “f****** hell” to a third client, or words to that effect, when providing personal care.
A written report into the panel’s findings said service users needed to be protected against conduct capable of causing them emotional harm.
“Looking at the broader public interest, it is also necessary for the public to have confidence in the social service workforce and in the SSSC as the regulatory body,” it added.
“The panel considered that, if no finding of impairment were made, public confidence in the social services profession and in the SSSC as regulator could well be undermined.”
Conner had faced two other serious allegations, namely that she caused or materially contributed to a resident kicking her colleague in the stomach in June 2017 and transferred another resident to bed alone in January of that year contrary to her care plan that stated she required the help of two staff for transfers.
However, both of those allegations were found to be not proven by the panel.
The panel heard in relation to the June incidents that a colleague had “pulled her up” about her language to the resident involved, with the same colleague telling panel members it was evident Conner did not like the resident very much and had raised her voice and shouted around him.
The panel also heard in relation to the June 26 incident that she had found the resident hard to move and had dragged him by the arms, saying “f****** hell”.
Meanwhile, the panel criticised the length of time the case had taken to come before it, with a period of 34 months passing between matters being referred to the SSSC and the conclusion of an impairment hearing.
Describing the delay as “far from impressive”, the panel added: “Such a tardy way in dealing with a serious case does the SSSC no credit; and the panel trusts that lessons have been learnt.”
