A Forfar carer has been handed a warning after she was said to have marched a resident to the bath while telling her “you stink”.
Jacqueline Stewart is also said to have told sworn at another resident, telling her she had been “sitting on her a***” all day.
Stewart had been employed as a senior care assistant at an unidentified care home in Forfar during the two incidents in August 2021.
Following a probe, the Scottish Social Services Council has placed a reprimand on Stewart’s record for 12 months.
‘You stink’
During the first incident, which took place around August 27 last year, Stewart is said to have shouted at the resident, identified only as BB, telling her “you stink”.
Despite BB saying she did not want to have a bath, Stewart is said to have “forcefully marched” her to the bathroom before taking her clothes off and providing rough personal care.
The report by the regulator says Stewart denied the allegations.
She is also accused of telling a separate resident, identified as AA, that she had been “sitting on her a*** all day”.
After AA told the carer she had been out with her family, Stewart is said to have replied saying: “Yes and you were still sitting on your a***.”
Assessing her behaviour, the SSSC, which oversees standards among social care workers in Scotland, said Stewart’s fitness to practice was impaired.
Forfar carer ‘provided personal care in rough manner’
The report said: “Social care workers are expected to treat residents with dignity and respect. They are expected to treat residents with kindness and care.
“It should be recognised that residents have the right to make their
own choices.
“You failed to consider BB’s choice not to have a bath. You provided personal care to her in a rough manner and caused her distress.
“You have also shouted at and spoken inappropriately by your volume,
tone and words to two residents in your care.”
The report added that residents could be placed at risk of harm if the behaviour was repeated.
‘Busy day’
Determining which sanction to apply, the SSSC said Stewart had shown “very limited insight and remorse” into her behaviour but had good history with the regulator and had engaged with the investigation.
The report says she had denied first allegation and acknowledged the behaviour described in the second allegation was “unprofessional”.
But it added: “You also appear to try to justify this by saying it had been a busy day.”
It also said the behaviour “abuses the trust” placed in Stewart by residents, their
families, her employer and the wider public.
Handing Stewart a warning to be placed on her record for 12 months, the SSSC says Stewart did not ask for a full hearing after being told of the decision.
The Courier was unable to contact Jacqueline Stewart for comment.
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