Flintshire care home manager removed from Register for theft and fraud conviction

An adult care home manager from Flintshire is to be removed from the Register of Social Care Workers after Social Care Wales found his fitness to practise was impaired because of his criminal conviction for fraud and theft.

Daniel Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty on 18 June 2018 at Mold Magistrates Court to five counts of theft and two counts of fraud for sums amounting to £6,285.99 from the adult care home he used to manage.

Mr Fitzpatrick was given a community order and required to carry out 220 hours’ unpaid work and pay £2,450 compensation plus costs.

The panel decided that Mr Fitzpatrick’s fitness to practise was impaired because of his criminal conviction.

Explaining its decision, the panel said: “We acknowledge that Mr Fitzpatrick has expressed remorse for his actions and that he acknowledges that he has been punished for them.

“However, there was very little, in our judgement, which amounted to a reflection on the effect his actions had (or could have had) on the vulnerable people to whom he owed a professional duty…

“We have concluded that he continues to pose a risk to individuals using services. We feel that this arises because we cannot be confident that he would make different decisions or behave differently in the future.”

The panel decided to impose a Removal Order, saying: “We find that only a Removal Order will be adequate in this case because of the breach of trust we have found to be present, which carried a risk of harm to the safety and well-being of vulnerable people.

“We consider that there has been a blatant disregard for, and a serious departure from, the relevant professional standards set out in the Code of Professional Practice for Social Care.

“We do not consider, in view of the lack of insight and remediation, and the risk that we feel to be present in this case, that there is any other way to protect the public. We are also of the view that public confidence in the social care profession would be undermined if Mr Fitzpatrick remained on the Register.”

Mr Fitzpatrick, who is currently suspended from working in a registered social care role in Wales, has been served notice of the panel’s decision and will be removed from the Register of Social Care Workers on 14 December 2018 when the Removal Order takes effect.

Mr Fitzpatrick was not present at the one-day hearing in Cardiff office last week.