A Fife social care worker who took knives to work and said he would “stab” another motorist while driving with a colleague has been struck off.
A watchdog found there was evidence that Michael Neilson had carried knives with him while supporting individuals in their homes on more than one occasion in August and September 2023.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) also found Neilson showed a knife to a supported individual.
Then on one occasion, while driving with a colleague, he said: “Well I’d stab him first, you ken I’ve always got a knife or two on me,” or words to that effect, in reference to another motorist.
Neilson was employed as a care-at-home provider by Eidyn Care Limited at ACS Care at Home Limited in Lochgelly at the time.
Fife carer who took knives to work ‘showed serious disregard for safety and welfare’
After an investigation, the SSSC struck Neilson off – saying his behaviour put service users at “serious risk”.
A report from the watchdog said: “Your conduct shows a serious disregard for the safety and welfare of the people you support and your colleagues.
“Bringing knives to work and showing a knife to a supported individual would likely have caused fear and alarm, and your conduct therefore placed them at risk of emotional harm.
“If the knives had been accessed by anyone else, there would have been a
risk of physical harm.
“Supported individuals have the right to feel safe in their homes and your conduct risked causing unnecessary fear and alarm, abusing the trust placed in you by them and their families.”
Care worker’s possession of knives linked to ‘beliefs’
The report added: “Although there does not appear to have been any intent to use the knives or to harm anyone, your conduct in bringing them to work and carrying them was deliberate and persistent and created a serious risk to others.
“Your possession of knives appears to arise from activities outside of work, as well as your beliefs.
“As a values issue, the conduct is not easily remediable.”
The SSSC said in order to protect the public, striking Neilson off the register was the “only appropriate sanction”.
It means he can no longer work in the care sector.
Eidyn Care: ‘Completely unacceptable behaviour’
A spokesperson for Eidyn Care said: “As an award winning and family-owned care-at-home provider based in Fife and Edinburgh we hire people who have experience of caring for others and who show real commitment to the role.
“Our care workers undergo enhanced Protecting Vulnerable Groups and enhanced reference checks, and receive ongoing training and supervision.
“Many of our 100 or so colleagues have worked previously as nurses or in the healthcare sector. Compassion and humour are positive attributes but they will never be enough if a carer does not demonstrate sound judgment and common sense.
“Thankfully our clients and colleagues came to no harm in this case and we acted quickly to alert relevant agencies to ill-advised, completely unacceptable behaviour by a colleague with a previously good record of service.”
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