Care worker struck off after force feeding dementia sufferer
A care worker who force-fed and verbally abused a dementia sufferer in an Angus care home has been struck off.
An inquiry panel found Christine Spence abused the resident of the Balhousie care home in Brechin following a pattern of poor practice.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) said it considered Spence’s misconduct so serious that only a removal order would protect the public interest.
Her actions have been revealed in a newly-published misconduct hearing decision, issued by the SSSC in relation to offences at the Brechin home in January.
Spence admitted the charge of misconduct towards the patient after the inquiry heard she had forced a spoonful of food into the resident’s mouth when the man was reluctant to eat.
She was also heard to speaking to the resident, referred to as AA, in abusive terms.
The SSSC findings stated: “Some of the allegations relating to her inappropriate communications with service user AA occurred while other service users were present or were likely to overhear.
“Her behaviour may have caused distress, fear and alarm in the person at whom her behaviour was directed, putting said person at risk of emotional and psychological harm.
“Her behaviour may also have upset the service users who heard, or were likely to hear, her inappropriate communications.
“Vulnerable adults have the right to expect that they will be treated with dignity and respect and protected from harm by the social service workers in whom they and the public place their trust and confidence.
“By force-feeding the service user and shouting derogatory remarks at him, she breached that trust and confidence, misused her power, abused her position and placed the service user at risk of harm.”
The finding added: “Part of the allegation relates to her failing to follow a reasonable instruction to her not to work with a service user. This instruction was issued to her by management.
“Her failure to follow this instruction constitutes a lack of dependability and trustworthiness detrimental to the quality and reliability of care.
“She failed to fulfil a work commitment by disobeying a reasonable instruction from management, which may have been aimed at preventing situations of conflicts of interest and preferential treatment arising.
“Her behaviour represents a lack of respect for her employer, who was entitled to expect her to undertake the responsibilities of her work role reliably.
“Her continued registration and employment in any organisation may undermine public confidence in social services and the council, as regulator of the profession.”
The suspension notice will come into effect on August 1.
