A Glenrothes carer has been struck off after mocking a wheelchair user and being accused of making racially and sexually-motivated comments to a colleague.
Paul Raymond Anderson was working for Sense Scotland at a supported living facility in the Fife town when the allegations emerged in September last year.
A probe was launched by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and the regulator has now sanctioned Anderson for his behaviour.
Anderson has told The Courier his actions were jokes that were taken out of context.
Carer pretended to drool while sitting in wheelchair
A panel found Anderson mocked a service user – referred to as AA – by getting into their wheelchair and pretending to drool while they were present.
The carer also imitated AA’s vocal sounds and sounded the wheelchair’s horn while banging it into different objects.
The SSSC also found that on the same day, he told a colleague identified as ZZ: “I bet that is not the only way you get soaking,” or words to that effect, while washing AA – which was taken to be a sexual reference.
Comments about worker’s Asian heritage
He further commented about another colleague – referred to in the report as YY – and their Asian heritage.
While washing the service user’s hair he said to ZZ: “What would this be called if YY was doing it? An Indian head massage.”
The watchdog found Anderson’s actions fell “far below the standards expected”.
The misconduct as a whole raises serious values concerns and calls into question your suitability to work in the profession
SSSC
The SSSC report said: “Social service workers must not behave, while in or outside work, in a way which would bring their suitability to work in social services into
question.
“The misconduct as a whole raises serious values concerns and calls into question your suitability to work in the profession.
“In the course of one day at work and in the presence of AA, you acted in
both a sexually-motivated manner and a racially-motivated manner towards colleagues.
Carer made no apology for actions
“The behaviour falls far below the standards expected of registered social care workers.
“It is behaviour that is fundamentally incompatible with professional registration.”
The watchdog said Anderson failed to co-operate with its investigation and did not offer “insight, regret or apology” for his actions.
And despite having a good history before the incidents, the SSSC decided a warning or temporary suspension would not be appropriate.
The ban means the former Glenrothes carer can no longer work in the care sector.
Asked for comment by The Courier, Anderson claimed it was “complete nonsense” to say his “soaking” comment was sexually-motivated, and that “the English language is far too crude to not have sexual innuendos or for people to accuse you of a sexual comment when the words used are not sexually used at all”.
He also denied that the Indian head massage comment was motivated by race.
He continued: “I met (ZZ), I bumped into her at a local supermarket and the two of us went for a coffee together.
Wheelchair user ‘found actions funny’
“I told her everything and she thought it was funny because she knows me, you see? She knows I never would’ve meant any racial nonsense.”
Meanwhile he claimed that imitating the service user was something they found funny.
He said: “This is not the first time that these actions have been carried out by a carer.
“In order to do this sort of thing you have to build up a relationship with the person that you’re looking after.
These people who have said this have no idea of the closeness of the relationship between myself, another few staff and (the service user)
Paul Anderson
“I had looked after (AA) for years.
“These people who have said this have no idea of the closeness of the relationship between myself, another few staff and (AA).”
Anderson says he has no further plans to work in care and has found a new career in construction.
He added: “I don’t know the manager’s protocols, but this should have never been escalated. I didn’t respond to any of the SSSC’s emails.
No plans to work in care again
“I didn’t really fight my case or do anything because I have no interest in working in care again.
“Five years I worked for Sense Scotland, and I went to every single shift.
“In my previous employment it was the same.”
Worker was sacked by Sense Scotland
A spokesperson for Sense Scotland said: “I can confirm that Sense Scotland suspended this employee in September 2021.
“We reported the allegations to the SSSC and the Care Inspectorate and we began an internal investigation.
“This employee did not work for Sense Scotland again and their employment with us ended in September 2021.
“We investigate all allegations and have robust policies, procedures and training in place to protect and safeguard the people we support.”
