Care worker struck off after hitting ill resident

A TAYSIDE care worker who shouted at and hit a deaf dementia sufferer has been struck of by the Scottish Social Services Council.

Karla Kirschlagerova faced a series of charges in relation to offences committed while working at Stormont Lodge home in Blairgowrie, which is run by the Balhousie Care Group.

One former colleague gave evidence about one of the charges relating to July 2016.

A patient who was deaf and living with advanced dementia was taken to the bathroom to be cleaned up after soiling herself. The woman was also unsteady on her feet.

As the colleague attempted to clean the woman’s lower half, Kirschlagerova was heard to say: “Her son was moaning about how she was being treated. Do you blame us? Look at her.”

The former colleague also told the panel Kirschlagerova repeatedly shouted at the woman to “stand up” and “look up” as she sat down on the toilet.

She then pushed the woman’s head back whilst shouting “look up”.

The woman was “very distressed and upset” and “crying”, she told the panel. Her actions left a red mark on the woman’s arm.

A second witness, also a former colleague, gave evidence about the same incident. She said that while working to change the woman, the patient’s legs were “starting to buckle” and as such she was having to sit down on the toilet.

She said that Kirschlagerova leaned over a walking frame and “hit the woman repeatedly under her chin” and recalled “hearing the woman’s teeth clatter together”.

She stated Kirschlagerova shouted, “listen to me” and “stand up” repeatedly.

The worker stated she found this to be “very distressing” and that she “felt tearful herself”. She further testified the woman appeared very distressed during and following the incident and that she required to be comforted.

The SSSC panel found the allegations to be proven, and made a removal order.

They said misconduct “had involved a serious abuse of the trust of service users who were entitled to expect that they would be safe, cared for and that their dignity would be protected”.

A spokeswoman for Balhousie Care said: “We can confirm Ms Kirschlagerova was in our employment between 2013 and July 2016, when the incident took place.

“She was suspended immediately following the incident in question and the necessary authorities were alerted.

“She was then dismissed following a full investigation. The safety and dignity of residents is our utmost priority.”