A Fife care worker has been struck off after a probe found he had hit and swore at residents.
A series of allegations were made against Richard Selerowicz while working as a care assistant at Lunardi Court in Cupar.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) found that Selerowicz had “hit and sworn at residents and treated them in an abusive and undignified manner”.
He also caused residents at the Cupar home – which offers care for those with dementia and complex needs – to cry with his actions.
A report from the watchdog added: “Your behaviour indicates that you have an underlying lack of respect for residents.
“You have failed to use appropriate moving and handling procedures, placing residents at risk.
“In terms of harm, residents were shocked and distressed by your conduct.”
Most of the incidents happened on various dates between August and December 2021, but one of the allegations dated back to 2019.
Allegations against Cupar care worker
Among the allegations found proven against Selerowicz were that he:
- Hauled a resident out of their chair without warning, causing her to scream
- Told a resident that he would spit at her if she spat at him – and proceeded to spit at the floor
- Left the same resident suspended in the air on a hoist mid-manoeuvre
- Punch a resident on the arm and said “don’t you f****** hit me” or words to that effect
- Said to another resident “don’t grab, if you grab again I will slap you” or
words to that effect - Demonstrated several breaches of correct moving and handling procedures
Cupar care worker ‘showed no regret’
The SSSC report said that Selerowicz had “demonstrated no insight, regret or remorse” over his actions.
It said: “There is a pattern of behaviour which amounts to a contempt for the
safety, rights and dignity of others.
“Your behaviour falls within a category which is fundamentally incompatible with professional registration and requires more serious action.”
Worker ‘resigned before being sacked’
A spokesperson for Four Seasons Healthcare, which runs Lunardi Court, said: “Four Seasons immediately suspended the employee in question while a thorough review of the allegations took place.
“The matter was also referred to the police and reported to the SSSC.
“Although the employee resigned prior to the investigatory meeting, the investigation was concluded and the findings were that had the employee not resigned, they would have been dismissed.
“The safety of our residents remains our absolute priority.”
