Care home worker struck off for 'abusive' behaviour towards female resident
John McAlonan's behaviour towards the resident was branded "unacceptable" after he called her a "crabbit old woman" during one incident and suggested wrapping tape around her neck.
Monday 24 April 2023 15:24, UK
A care home worker who repeatedly "belittled" a female resident has been struck off for his "abusive" behaviour.
John McAlonan told the woman: "Have you looked in a mirror?", or words to that effect, when she said a Halloween decoration had frightened her, a report by Scotland's care watchdog revealed.
When a colleague said she had something to help with the resident's nails, McAlonan replied: "Aye, a shotgun", according to the report.
On another occasion, when the same colleague said she needed tape, McAlonan is reported to have said: "Yeah, to wrap around [the resident's] neck."
The support worker called the resident "a crabbit old woman" when she complained about a meal, and branded her an "old witch" or "old b****" when she said she didn't like a biscuit, the report said.
During one incident, he told the resident to "stop butting in, you are being rude", when she tried to speak to him.
When she complained about her coffee being too hot on another occasion, he reportedly said: "I can see Her Highness is still ungrateful as ever."
McAlonan was also found to have left the woman out when hugging all the other care home residents during a further incident.
'Disrespectful, derogative, and dismissive'
Finding McAlonan's fitness to practice impaired, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) said he "belittled" the resident and placed her "at a serious risk of emotional harm".
It found his behaviour - while employed by Caring Homes Healthcare Group Limited in Alloa, Clackmannanshire - to be at the "higher end of the seriousness scale".
"Your behaviour was abusive and breached the trust and confidence placed on you as a social service worker," the watchdog said.
It added: "You have spoken to [the resident] in a disrespectful, derogative, and dismissive way when you had a duty to care and protect [the resident] from harm.
"Service users mainly come into contact with social service workers at a time when they are most vulnerable.
"You have failed to ensure that [the resident] feels at home knowing they are safe, cared for, valued, and treated with respect and dignity.
"You have failed to provide [the resident] with an acceptable level of care and have not acted in the best interests of [the resident]."
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'No remorse'
The SSSC noted that McAlonan had a lengthy history of working in the care sector, with no previous disciplinary action.
However, he had "failed to show any insight or remorse" for his behaviour, it added.
The SSSC said: "You admitted to your employer at the time that you did not like [the resident] but that some of the comments have been taken out of context.
"However, as a social service worker the SSSC, members of the public, employers and service users expect you to be able to communicate in an open, accurate and straightforward way. The language you used when communicating with [the resident] was unacceptable."
In conclusion, the watchdog said a removal order was the "most appropriate sanction" to maintain the "continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession and the SSSC as the regulator of the profession".
The removal order - banning McAlonan from working in Scotland's care industry - came into effect on Saturday.