Waltham Forest social worker reinstated following appeal

AN experienced social worker struck off over claims she failed to report an allegation of abuse has been reinstated following an appeal.

A number of accusations of misconduct against Waltham Forest Council employee Rosalind Shaw were upheld by a committee of the General Social Care Council (GSCC), which ruled in 2009 that she should be banned from the profession to protect the public.

However, Ms Shaw appealed for the hearing to reconvene as she was unable to attend the previous meeting because she was looking after her sick mother.

After hearing testimony from Ms Shaw this week, a second committee concluded that only some of the allegations had been proved and she should be able to practice again.

The panel concluded that, despite breaking some rules, her actions had not caused harm to vulnerable people.

But It did say she had lied to her manager when she said she had filled in a patient incident report.

She also risked patient confidentially by leaving private documents on her desk.

Ms Shaw also increased care for a patient without carrying out a proper assessment of need.

However, other allegations were rejected.

The original hearing found that she failed to submit a form about an allegation of abuse, but the panel said staff had not received full training on the then new policy.

It said that her department was going through a variety of changes and there was a “chaotic” working environment.

It also rejected other allegations, including a claim that she had failed to report to her office each day, as required.

The report said: “The misleading and dishonest conduct was an isolated incident in the context of the registrant’s good record of 30 years as a social worker.

“It related to an incident that arose during the implementation of new policies which had not at the time been fully rolled out and in respect of which there had not been any or any sufficient training.”

The committee decided to issue a one year admonishment, meaning Ms Shaw’s record on the social workers register will include notification of the misconduct.