A Glenrothes carer left an epileptic person overnight without medication after clocking off work early.
A watchdog has found Carmen Stafford did not tell her employer she had finished her shift early – leaving a service user without overnight support.
The Scottish Social Care Council (SSSC) also found that Stafford, an employee of Newcross Healthcare Solutions at the time, failed to administer the person’s medication at 9am that day due to her absence.
It also found that Stafford later falsified documents claiming that medication had been given.
Glenrothes care user put at ‘serious risk of physical and emotional harm’
The incident occurred at an undisclosed address in Glenrothes in February 2023.
Following a probe, the SSSC found Safford’s actions had put the care user at “serious risk of physical and emotional harm”.
In its ruling, the SSSC said: “Staff must ensure that they record information accurately and are honest when carrying out their work.
“You falsely recorded on the MAR (medication administration record) sheet that you had administered medication, when this was incorrect, and you had left the medication in the kitchen.
“You failed to inform your employer that you had left early and therefore they were unable to arrange cover for the remainder of the shift.
“Your actions put (the service user) at serious risk of physical and emotional harm.”
Glenrothes carer showed ‘limited remorse’
The SSSC said the failures raised concerns over whether Stafford had the “appropriate values to work in the social services sector”.
It also said Stafford had “failed to engage with the SSSC’s investigation” and had shown “limited insight or remorse for your actions”, adding: “Therefore, there is a risk of this behaviour being repeated and a consequential public protection risk.”
The watchdog has now issued a two-year warning to Stafford after she decided not to ask for the case to be referred to a fitness to practise panel.
Newcross Healthcare Solutions has been contacted for comment.
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