CARE WORKER GIVEN WARNING FOR ABUSING DEMENTIA PATIENT THROUGH CUDDLING AND TICKLING
A care worker from Forfar, Debbie Smith, has been given a 12-month warning after engaging in inappropriate conduct towards a vulnerable woman with dementia.Investigators from the Scottish Social Services Council uncovered that Smith had mishandled several service users over 2019 and 2020, including rough treatment and inappropriate physical contact.
Specifically, she cuddled and tickled a woman despite her protests, continued to do so after being asked to stop, and roughly washed her groin, underarms, and breasts.
Smith also placed a service user in a bed beside her without consent and behaved in a manner considered as 'banter' by her, which was deemed inappropriate by regulators.
Her actions included rough removal of an incontinence pad, pushing another individual and threatening them with a cold shower, rough handling of a fifth care recipient, and bumping another into a wardrobe.
Some incidents occurred within a single month and involved further inappropriate behaviors such as lying beside a service user in bed.
Smith did not show remorse for her behaviors, which placed vulnerable people at risk of physical and psychological harm.
The Scottish Social Services Council decided that a warning was sufficient due to her cooperation during the investigation and because it was her first offence, although her behavior showed a clear lack of respect and was deemed inappropriate.
Smith has not worked since leaving her role with Unicare Homecare, and her registration has been reviewed by the Scottish Social Services Council.
Her employer, Tracy Mason, confirmed she is no longer employed there, and Smith could not be reached for comment.
