Inverness support worker who kicked a service user's feet and pushed her down onto a toilet seat hitting their back on the cistern is removed from the Scottish Social Services Council's (SSSC) register
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An Inverness support worker in a care at home service has been removed from the Scottish Social Services Council's (SSSC) register.
Jeanette Cumming was removed from the register on Wednesday following an investigation over her fitness to practise which it found was impaired.
According to the report a removal order was imposed which removed her from the SSSC Register for Support Workers in a Housing Support Service and Support Workers in Care at Home Service.
The report stated that during the course of her employment she, on or around February 18, 2021, kicked service user AA’s feet in an attempt to move them into position.
In addition she said “stop being like this, you know what to do AA”, or words to that effect, and wipe AA’s face harder than was necessary, approached AA from behind before kicking the patient's feet, roughly took hold of AA’s arm and took it out of her sleeve, and repeatedly shouted at service user BB to “sit up” at the table.
Between March 14 and March 28, last year, when service user AA was distressed and refusing to let go of the handles on a stand-aid, grabbed both hands and pulled them off the stand-aid.
She also pushed service user AA down onto the toilet seat causing them to hit their back on the toilet cistern – when challenged by colleague XX Cumming responded saying “she needs to learn” or words to that effect.
The report states: "On more than one occasion, between around the end of August 2020 and 28 March 28, 2021, tell service user CC to 'shut up' or words to that effect.
"On a date/dates unknown between the end of August 2020 and April 14, 2021, tell service user DD to “stop moaning and just eat up your food” or words to that effect." and in light of the above your fitness to practise is impaired because of your misconduct as set out in allegations one to four."
The report laid out a number of reasons why the SSSC found that Cumming's fitness to practise had been impaired including that her communication to all four service users was "demeaning, dismissive and displayed very little regard for their emotional welfare".
It added: "Your conduct was an abuse of your position of power and trust, raising serious concerns about your attitude to vulnerability.
"Your conduct towards all four service users appears controlling, driven by the need to get the task done, rather than by making sure the person is comfortable, cared for and given time where needed.
"There is a pattern of similar behaviour towards more than one vulnerable service user, raising concerns that the conduct is values based and there are underlying attitudinal issues. Additionally, given your lack of insight and how recent the behaviour is, we have concluded that there is risk of the behaviour being repeated.
"If it was, service users would be placed at risk of serious harm. There are therefore issues of public protection and public interest that need to be addressed."
The removal order has this week been imposed and it came into effect yesterday.
