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Inverness care home worker struck off after verbally and physically abusing residents


By Louise Glen

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Kingsmills Care Home.
Kingsmills Care Home.

An Inverness care home worker has been struck off the social services register after physically and verbally abusing residents.

Tracey Grundy, who was employed as a care assistant at Kingsmills Nursing Home in April 19 2019, when two "extremely serious"offences against residents in one day were reported by staff members.

Ms Grundy, who used "foul and abusive" language towards residents has now been removed from the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) register after a hearing heard her fitness to practice was judged as "impaired".

In a ruling, issued on February 19, it stated that Grundy pulled a resident from her chair, and said to her “I’ll get the nurse, she won’t take none of your shit”. In relation to a second resident, in response to being called an "evil bitch", Grundy said "no, you are".

Grundy was also accused of grabbing and pining the second resident's arms while delivering personal care, using unnecessary force when removing a continence aid from the genital area which caused the resident distress.

In its findings the SSSC said: "Social service workers must not abuse, neglect or harm people who use services or put themselves or other people at unnecessary risk of harm.

"You used unnecessary force to remove a continence aid from a resident and you also pinned that resident’s arms. This is behaviour which amounts to physical abuse and caused the resident involved emotional harm. The behaviour is serious and violates fundamental tenets of the profession, in that you failed to protect the welfare and dignity of service users and to protect them from harm.

It continued: "Physically abusive behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with registration. There is also a need to protect service users from the risk of harm associated with such behaviour.

"You have spoken to residents in an aggressive manner, using inappropriate language on multiple occasions, which amounts to verbal abuse. This behaviour put residents at risk of emotional harm and is a failure to communicate in an appropriate manner.

"You have also used an incorrect moving and handling technique when assisting a resident to stand, in that you pulled her from her chair. This behaviour would have put the resident involved at a completely unnecessary and avoidable risk of harm.

"This behaviour calls into question your ability to act in a professional manner and your understanding of promoting the safety and wellbeing of service users. "
The report said: "The public has the right to expect that social service workers, in whom it places its trust and confidence, will treat service users with dignity and respect at all times, and part of this duty requires you to provide appropriate moving and handling support to service users.

"The misconduct is serious and deliberate and involves abusive behaviour towards two service users and poor practice towards one of them. This behaviour is indicative of values and attitudinal issues."

Ms Grundy accepted the sanction on February 1.

Kingsmills was owned by Brighterkind, part of the Four Seasons Health Care Group. It was transferred to a new owner last year. Brighterkind was the owner at the time of Ms Grundy’s employment.

A spokeswoman for Four Seasons Health Care said: “We are aware of the proceedings involving a former employee of Kingsmills care home, which is no longer operated by Four Seasons Health Care Group.

"At the time of the allegations, we immediately suspended the employee while an investigation was carried out.

"She was then dismissed and the matter reported to the Scottish Social Services Council, which we have provided with our full support throughout this process.

"The care and wellbeing of our residents remains our first priority and we will always act to uphold our high standards of care.”


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