A Dundee carer who reportedly left “very vulnerable” people without food – some of whom were said to be suicidal – has been let off with a warning.
Support worker Jemma Louise Garden was employed to care for people in their own homes.
An industry watchdog said over the course of three days, she neglected vulnerable people, some for whole days, meaning they were left hungry and living in unclean conditions.
‘Suicidal tendencies and neglected welfare’
A report by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) said Garden knew two of the service users “were vulnerable, unable to cook for themselves or had suicidal tendencies”, and that she had “neglected their welfare”.
The SSSC has given Garden a formal warning.
On February 17 2019, the report said Garden sent a service user a text message to say she would arrive at midday to support him. However, she failed to attend at the man’s house at all, according to the watchdog.
Three days later on February 20, she again reportedly failed to arrive at the same person’s house and did not provide him with the support he needed.
Man ‘left without care for over five hours’
Also on February 20 2019, she is said to have failed to provide proper support for a second person, again not attending at the woman’s house to care for her.
Then in April that year, SSSC investigators said she left a man’s home at 1.30pm, despite her shift ending at 7pm, meaning the man was without the care he required for more than five hours.
On another occasion, she is said to have broken rules on professionalism by taking her partner to the home of a man with learning difficulties, who she was employed to care for.
‘Inappropriate relationship with vulnerable man’
She also reportedly discussed aspects of her personal life, leading to an “inappropriate relationship” with the vulnerable individual, the SSSC report said.
In their findings, SSSC investigators said: “You left early or failed to visit service users and you neglected their welfare and increased the risk that they would come to harm.
“The behaviour is considered to be serious. The service users whom you were employed to care for were very vulnerable people who required you to make their meals, clean their homes, provide personal care to them or take them on outings.
“As a result of your behaviour, these service users were either left without food, without
clean homes or missed outings.
“This has resulted in each of them being placed at risk of physical and/or emotional harm.”
‘Inappropriate relationships’
The report added: “Your insight into your behaviour is limited and you have not recognised how your behaviour could have impacted each of the service users.”
It was said by the SSSC that Garden’s conduct was “a pattern of behaviour” which occurred over three months while employed in Dundee.
In relation to the man whose house Garden reportedly visited with her partner, and to whom she allegedly divulged information about her personal life, investigators said: “Social service workers must work with service users in a professional manner and not form inappropriate relationships with them.
“You discussed with the service user your personal circumstances and introduced him to your partner.
‘Suicidal tendencies’
“Your behaviour caused the person to become emotionally involved with your own personal circumstances. It caused or had the potential to cause upset and unrealistic expectations on their part.”
The report said Garden knew the service users were vulnerable, were unable to
cook for themselves or had suicidal tendencies.
She was also aware of “strict professional boundaries in place”, according to officers.
‘Nobody else was there to care for them’
“These service users relied solely on you to turn up and carry out the care they required.
“Nobody else was there to provide this care for them,” the report said.
SSSC staff said factors in Garden’s favour were that she had a good previous work history, the reported behaviour occurred in 2019 and no other matters had since been referred to the SSSC by her current employer, who she began working with in February 2020.
It also noted that she cooperated with the SSSC’s investigation.
A warning was placed on Garden’s registration and will remain in place for 24 months, from September 21.
Garden could not be reached for comment.