An Edinburgh carer has been struck off after failing to report several incidents where service users were attacked, as well as taking medication home.
Elaine Heath, while under the employment of Edinburgh Council at Drumbrae Care Home, was judged to have been involved or coordinated several dangerous incidents, with the Scottish Social Services Council finding enough evidence to remove her from the register.
The incidents occurred between dates in 2017 and 2019, with Ms Heath resigning since they took place.
While being employed as a manager within this particular care setting, Heath failed to accept the fact that one of the service users was acting aggressively towards staff and consequently staff were not supported in their working environment. As a result of the aggressive service user being brought into the home, one member of staff suffered life-changing injuries.
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She also told staff to "get on with it" when the same service user was physically attacking them, as well as other vulnerable patients. No report or action plan was carried out after these incidents, meaning little was done to solve the issue.
In a separate incident, Heath was also judged to have taken medication home from work, as well as tampering with a record which made note of where the medication ought to be.
As a result of this, service users ran out of medication and new prescriptions had to be ordered.
When a colleague raised concerns regarding a service user who had recently died, Heath reportedly said "well s*** happens," or words to that effect.
On several different occasions, a stack of records and files were destroyed by Heath, including incriminated care plans, risk assessments, petty cash records and many more.
Heath, on an unknown date between around April 1 2017 and May 11 2017, swore at a young male member of the public when he asked to use the toilet, saying: "This is a care home, get tae f***!" or words to that effect.
Several other accusations were proved by the SSSC panel, including the fact that Heath created a divide between staff at the care home, intimidated members of staff and failed to engage with family members of a service user who had been admitted to hospital.
The final incident marked 20 different claims that were cited by the council, with more than enough evidence to remove Heath from the care register.
In a list of reasons as to why they found Heath's vision to practice was impaired included: "Social service workers must follow risk assessment policies and procedures to assess whether the behaviour of people who use services presents a risk of harm to themselves or other people and take necessary steps to reduce the risks of them harming themselves or other people.
"They should also recognise that people who use services have the right to take risks and support them to work positively with potential and actual risks and make sure relevant colleagues are informed of the outcomes and implications of risk assessments.
"BB had already been assessed as unsuitable for the home due to the level of support required and the needs of the other residents already living in the home. By disregarding the previous assessments advising that BB could not be suitably supported at the home you put him, other services users and staff at risk of physical and emotional harm.
"When staff reported incidents of BB’s verbal and physical aggression towards staff and service users you failed to support them to manage these and failed to ensure these incidents were reported to management, the Care Inspectorate and service user’s next of kin as required. Your actions resulted in service users and staff being verbally and physically assaulted by BB and one staff member was left with life changing injuries as a result of an attack. Service users were locked in their rooms to prevent BB from harming them and staff were left feeling unsupported and unable to give BB the one to one supervision that the risk assessment required."
The council concluded that there was a lack of insight, regret or an apology from Heath, as well as no testimonials in her favour, nor did she help the SSSC with their investigation.
A spokesperson for the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership commented: “We do not comment on any individual cases. However for context, in the interest of all those in our care and their families, everyone who works in social care in a registered service, must adhere to the Scottish Social Services Council codes of practice alongside the employer’s code of conduct. In very rare cases, if conduct may have contradicted the strict standards expected, it is thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action is taken.”
