Ex-Care Worker In Tears As She Tells Of Complaint

A former Lochaber care worker broke down while giving evidence at an employment tribunal in Inverness yesterday. Sandra Bolton, 58, of 40 Banff Crescent, Fort William is claiming constructive dismissal alleging her employers, Crossroads (Lochaber) Care Attendants Scheme, treated her in an oppressive way.

Mrs Bolton, who was represented by her daughter Barbara Bolton, a solicitor, said she was horrified when she was told that three complaints had been made against her.

She said she had been concerned that there was a breach of the working times directive by another member of staff and when she raised it with the general manager she was asked whether she thought it was her job to police Crossroads.

Mrs Bolton said: “I just said I wasn’t happy that I was being treated differently to other workers.”

“The manager, at that time, passed me a letter and she said she had had complaints against me about my care of a young girl.”

Obviously distressed and crying Mrs Bolton said: “I read the letter and it said I hadn’t looked after the girl properly and the young girl’s mother said she never wanted me to be near her again.”

Mrs Bolton said she was told the complaints were made by a member of the staff and a member of the public.

She added: “It was dreadful that they had accused me of neglect. It was wrong. It was a fairytale. I was absolutely devastated by it.”

Mrs Bolton said she conducted her own investigation and had several witness statements from people who had been at the dance in September 2004 where it was claimed she had neglected the girl.

She said she had also been given assurances from the singer at the event that night, Paula MacAskill and Lochaber council convener Olywn Macdonald, who was also in attendance, that they were both also prepared to vouch for her behaviour that night.

Mrs Bolton received a letter from Crossroads a few weeks later which said she had no case to answer.

She said there was no explanation or details of any investigation they had carried out.

But Mrs Bolton was then told suspended from her position as a 24 hour care attendant in January 2005.

She said: “I was told I had interfered with a clients medication. I was completely taken aback. The manager and coordinator said I reduced medication without any authority. I said I was of the understanding that the drug was to be used only when the client’s arm was sore but she wasn’t to be on it forever.”

Mrs Bolton said she reduced the dosage over a period of time from three tablets to one and had recorded this in two separate log books.

She said she spoke to her clients doctor following her suspension. Mrs Bolton said: “The doctor told me that I had done the sensible thing by reducing the medication.”

The tribunal continues this week.