Essex County Council care worker warned for having two jobs

A CARE worker held down two jobs with different public sector bodies at the same time, a hearing was told.

Doccus Nyabunze was a senior practitioner at Essex County Council, while working for North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust between April and July last year.

Nyabunze admitted misconduct at a hearing of the General Social Care Council and was admonished for two years.

The council’s conduct committee found her actions had increased the risk to people in her care, as she was doing a five-day week with the council and worked the equivalent of four days a week for the trust.

The ruling found: “The committee recognised the registrant would suffer from fatigue.

“Her day shift sometimes followed the night shift and this was not a safe and responsible work practice.”

The two organisations that employed her both declined to reveal any more details about what she did, including where she was based.

They refused to say what work she carried out for each body, or whether she worked with vulnerable adults or children.

A North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust spokesman confirmed Nyabunze was an agency worker who no longer worked for the trust, but would not comment further.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “Doccus Nyabunze no longer works for Essex County Council.

“The council is unable to discuss this individual staff matter further due to confidentiality.”

The conduct committee heard Nyabunze took the jobs “at a time of financial hardship” and none of the people she cared for had been harmed.

Her formal apology and remorse also acted in her favour, it said.

The admonishment is a stern warning which will remain on her record for two years and could be used if Nyabunze is involved in any further proceedings in that time.