Orkney care assistant off register

Panel: Mankissedserviceuser’shand

A social care assistant on Orkney who put his hands round a client’s neck and kissed a service user on the hand has been removed from the register for support workers.

Matus Horvath worked at St Peter’s House, Stromness, for Orkney Islands Council when the incidents took place between 2015 and 2016.

It was also found that he told a colleague that “if you were struck off you would start killing people” or words to that effect.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) yesterday published the outcome of its fitness to practise panel impairment hearing which took place throughout five days.

The panel concluded: “In all the circumstances a removal order was warranted. Your actions had been serious and deliberate. Your behaviour was a serious departure from the standards expected in the code. You had failed to provide an acceptable level of care.”

The published decision stated: “At the hearing, the panel decided that some of the allegations against you were proved, that your fitness to practise is impaired, and made the decision to impose a removal order on your registration in the part

“Thepanel foundthatyour misconducthad beenserious”

of the register for support workers in a care home service for adults.”

The order comes into effect on November 25 or, if he appeals, once the appeal is determined or abandoned.

It was found that on or around May 31 last year he placed his hand’s around a service user’s neck and stated: “I told you it was next week you stupid woman” or words to that effect.

He admitted during a different incident, stroking her face and having told her she was “beautiful”. His explanation was that his actions had been innocent and he had meant to cause no distress.

Horvath admitted telling another client that he loved her and would take her on a date, claiming his intentions were innocent.

The SSSC concluded: “The panel found that your misconduct had been serious, albeit there was no evidence that it had been committed with malicious intent. However you had behaved with a significant element of naivety and lack of insight as to the consequences of your words and actions on service users.

“It was also clear that your conduct amounted to a pattern of behaviour and that it had caused emotional distress to service user BB and your colleague, YY.”