A north-east care worker has been sanctioned for repeatedly falling asleep during shifts.
Watchdogs say Margaret Kirk has had her fitness to practise impaired, and a warning and condition have been placed on her registration for two years.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) acted over offences dating back four years.
In January 2017, while employed as a care officer at Archway Respite Care in Aberdeen, Ms Kirk fell asleep while working a night shift.
She was also found to have failed to respond to a resident in distress during July of that year.
The SSSC’s report into the matter found that Ms Kirk failed to disclose that she had been dismissed by Archway when applying for employment at Rubislaw Park Care Home in Aberdeen.
In February 2019, Ms Kirk fell asleep during a night shift, while working as a care assistant at her new place of work.
She was further found to have caused emotional distress to a colleague by shouting and waving a finger in their face.
The report judged Ms Kirk’s fitness to practise to be impaired, because she “fell asleep during several waking night shifts”.
The papers stated: “This could have resulted in residents in your care being unable to alert you if they required assistance.
“Further, you failed to respond to a resident while they were in distress.
“This meant that the resident was left distressed and unattended until your colleague, who was on sleepover, responded to them.
“As a result of your actions, the resident became further distressed.
“Your behaviours constituted a failure in your duty of care, which placed residents and colleagues at an unnecessary risk of harm.”
It stated that her failure to disclose a previous dismissal to a subsequent employer “calls into question your values and integrity as a social services worker”.
It added: “There is a pattern of concerning behaviour evident, as your behaviours occurred across a period of several years and different employers.
“Although you have provided some reflection on your failure to declare a disciplinary matter to a prospective employer, you have failed to recognise the impact your behaviours had on residents and colleagues.
“You have failed to demonstrate any significant insight or reflection in relation to the most serious behaviour.
“Although you have demonstrated periods of good practice and have provided references in support of your practice, these factors do not provide sufficient assurances that your behaviours are highly unlikely to reoccur or have been fully remediated.
“The concerns arising from your behaviour, however, are not so serious that the behaviours cannot be remediated.”
The report recognised in her favour that Ms Kirk had had no previous adverse history with the SSSC, that she had provided four positive references in support of her, and that she had cooperated fully with the investigation.
Ms Kirk admitted that her fitness to practise is impaired and accepted the warning and condition.
The condition will be placed on Ms Kirk’s registration with the SSSC until March 2023.
Within four months, Ms Kirk must provide the SSSC with evidence that she has undertaken training covering adult support and protection, effective communication, and dignity and respect towards service users.
Furthermore, she must submit an account to the SSSC displaying her understanding of the impact of her behaviour, and how the SSSC can be assured of her fitness to practise in future.
The report concluded: “Any failure to take regulatory action in the circumstances would undermine the public’s confidence and trust in the social services profession and jeopardise the integrity of the register.
“There are ongoing public protection and public interest concerns arising from your behaviour.”
