A SCOTTISH support worker has been struck off after imitating a service user by sitting in their wheelchair and pretending to drool and bang objects.
Paul Anderson was removed from the Scottish Social Service Council (SSSC) on Friday following an investigation into his behaviour towards the vulnerable patient in September last year.
The support worker was working for Sense Scotland in Glenrothes, Fife, when he acted inappropriately towards a colleague and his patient.
Anderson sat in the man’s wheelchair, imitated his voice, sounded the horn, pretended to bang objects, and pretended to drool whilst doing an impression of the man.
He also splashed his colleague whilst bathing the care user and said: “I bet that is not the only way you get soaking”.
Whilst shampooing the patient’s hair, making reference to his colleague who is of Asian heritage, he said, “What would this be called if ZZ was doing it? An Indian head massage.”
The SSSC decided to issue Anderson with a removal order after finding his fitness to practise to be impaired.
The charges, whilst anonymising the patient and colleague, stated: “We decided there is evidence that on or around 2 September 2021, while employed as a support worker by Sense Scotland at Sense Scotland Supported Living: Fife & Surrounding Areas in Glenrothes, and during the course of that employment, you did imitate AA by sitting in their wheelchair, sounding the horn on the wheelchair, pretending to bang into objects, imitating AA’s vocal sounds [and] pretending to drool.
“[You did] while bathing supported person AA (redacted) and after AA splashed your
colleague ZZ with water say to ZZ, ‘I bet that is not the only way you get soaking’ or words to
that effect.
“By your behaviour…act in a way that was sexually motivated.
“While shampooing AA’s hair say to ZZ, about your colleague YY who is of Asian heritage ‘what
would this be called if YY was doing it? An Indian head massage’ or words to that effect.
“By your behaviour…act in a way that was racially motivated.”
On making their decision to remove Anderson, the panel concluded: “Social service workers must respect and maintain the dignity of people who use services. You imitated a vulnerable person in your care showing a lack of dignity and respect. This could have caused harm to AA..
“The misconduct as a whole raises serious values concerns and calls into question your suitability to work in the profession. In the course of one day at work and in the presence of AA, you acted in both a sexually motivated manner and a racially motivated manner towards colleagues.
“You haven’t shown insight, regret or remorse. You haven’t engaged with the SSSC investigation.
“Given the serious nature of your behaviour, we consider there is risk of similar behaviour happening again.
“The SSSC considers a removal order is the most appropriate sanction as it is both necessary and justified in the public interest and to maintain the continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession and the SSSC as the regulator of the profession.”
