Staff member changed clock to trick Dundee care unit patient out of bed

A patient at a Dundee care unit was tricked into the time they should get up in the morning by a staff member changing the time on their clock.

The incident at the Mackinnon Centre in Broughty Ferry led to the staff member who carried out the prank and a colleague being shown the door.

The Mackinnon Centre in Brook Street is a purpose-built 12-bed respite unit for adults with physical disabilities or progressive illness.

The patient concerned was known to staff as someone who had difficulty getting up in the morning.

Two female staff members were discussing the issue when one of them suggested changing the time on the clock in the patient’s room to make them think it was later than the actual time.

The staff member who heard the suggestion put it out of her mind as she did not think her colleage was being serious.

The colleague carried out the prank, however, making the drowsy patient get up hurriedly on believing they had slept in.

The incident was brought to the attention of senior managers in Dundee City Council’s social work department who conducted an investigation.

The staff member who changed the time on the patient’s clock was told they had acted in a completely unprofessional and unacceptable manner which had offended the dignity of the patient.

The other staff member protested that she had thought her colleague’s suggestion had been a joke, and she had put it out of her mind rather than report it to her superiors.

Social work managers said she should have challenged, clarified and reported the suggestion of her colleague whether she thought it serious or not.

She had previously had more than 20 years of unblemished service with the social work department but senior managers said her failure to challenge or report her colleague was evidence of poor practice.

The two staff members were at the time employed in the Mackinnon Centre as sessional workers to provide temporary cover in cases of staff absence.

They worked on a similar basis as supply teachers in schools in that they were invited to put their names on a list of available personnel to be called in when needed.

As such, they did not have the same employment rights as permanent members of staff, and the social work department told them that because of the clock incident they would no longer be called in for work.

A spokesman for the city council social work department said: ”We do not discuss individual personnel matters.”

Dundee SNP administration leader Ken Guild, a councillor for Broughty Ferry, said he could not comment on individual cases but added: ”The council expects the highest standards of conduct from its employees.”

Broughty Ferry Conservative councillor Derek Scott added: ”I am surprised to learn of this incident because my experience of staff in the social work department is that they are first class, and they put the interests of the patients first.

”I am pleased that this matter has been dealt with and I hope measures are in place to prevent this sort of thing happening again.”