Warning for carer who spun wheelchair

Panel hears man’s chair tipped over, injuring him

A care worker who caused a disabled man to fall out of his wheelchair in a dance floor incident and then failed to report it has been given a warning.

Cameron Robertson appeared before a Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Notice of Fitness to Practise Panel impairment hearing in Dundee on August 8.

The panel decided that there was evidence that in October 2015, while employed by Richmond Fellowship Scotland Limited, Springfield Road, Braehead, Robertson went on to a dance floor at a birthday party with a resident, held the sides of his wheelchair and spun him around, causing the wheelchair to tip over and injuring the person.

Robertson failed to seek medical assistance or call an ambulance when the resident sustained a head injury and moved him without seeking medical advice first.

It was also found that Robertson slept on duty in July and September, 2015.

He also failed to administer the anti-sickness drug domperidone to a resident in October, 2015.

Robertson worked for Richmond Fellowship for four months in 2015.

Whilst working as a care assistant for HC One Limited at Orchard Care Centre in Tullibody, Robertson slept on duty during a night shift twice in May 2014.

The panel’s findings were published and they noted that Robertson’s fitness to practise was impaired because “vulnerable adults had the right to expect that the care they receive from social service workers, in whom they place their trust and confidence, will protect them from harm.

The findings continued: “Sleeping whilst on duty breaches the trust and confidence of services users who rely on social service workers to respond to their needs and requirements in a timely manner.

“By sleeping whilst on duty your behaviour placed residents at risk of harm in that assistance would have been delayed or not provided to residents when this was required. Such behaviour also constituted a failure in a social service worker’s duty of care, putting residents and colleagues at risk of harm through negligence.

“Residents have the right to expect that the care they receive from social service workers, in whom they place their trust and confidence, will protect them from harm.

“By spinning AA’s (the resident) wheelchair around you did cause AA’s wheelchair to tip over to AA’s injury. This behaviour demonstrates a failure in your duty of care to provide safe and consistent care to help keep residents safe.

“By also failing to seek medical advice or call an ambulance for AA and move AA without seeking medical advice first you did fail to follow your employer’s procedures designed to protect residents after a fall. This behaviour may have caused further harm to AA.”

A warning was placed on Robertson’s registration for 18 months.

A spokesperson for HC One Limited said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of those we support are our highest priorities.

“When these allegations were brought to our attention we acted immediately to suspend the staff member involved, and inform all the appropriate authorities. We will always act to protect individuals in our care, and never tolerate the type of behaviour which was alleged to have occurred.

“We have been working closely with all relevant authorities, and we are grateful to everyone who has assisted with this process, and to our colleagues who continue to provide the kindest care in all our homes.”

The Richmond Fellowship Scotland declined to comment.

This behaviour demonstrates a failure in your duty of care to provide safe and consistent care