An Ayrshire care worker has been given a warning after telling a resident that their “breath is f**king rotten”.
Cora Heathcote has been slammed with a two year mark on her registration after a host of offences to three victims at Creggan Bahn Court care home in Ayr.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) said Heathcote’s actions put residents at harm.
A report found Heathcote’s fitness to practise was “impaired” due to her “misconduct” after they found evidence of three instances of misconduct between 2020 and 2021.
The disgraced worker was found to have stated to a resident known only as AA, “your breath is f**cking rotten” between September and October 2020.
The offence comes after she refused to wash or brush the teeth of another resident, known as BB on or around July 23, 2020.
And in February 2021, Heathcote was found to have replied “aye of course I am” when a female victim known as CC told her that she was hurting them by leaning on her wheelchair.
Heathcote no longer works at Creggan Bahn Court but has continued to work as a carer. It is understood Heathcote works at another Ayrshire care home.
The SSSC report says: “What you said to AA was unprofessional, abusive and could have caused her to suffer emotional harm.
“With regards to allegation 2, your intention appears to have been to carry out BB’s care quickly so that you could go and assist with other residents to help your colleagues on day shift.
“While this does not excuse your behaviour, it does provide some context and indicates that your motivations were to be helpful but the result of this was that the care provided to resident BB was not satisfactory.”
The report continues: “Your behaviour at allegation 3 amounts to a failure to respond appropriately when a resident told you that you were hurting them. You did not react professionally and you do not appear to have taken the resident’s complaint seriously.”
The SSSC report considered that Heathcote has a good previous history and that her current manager has provided her with a positive reference when making their decision.
Heathcote denied any allegations but the SSSC says she has “shown insight as to why the behaviour is unacceptable.”
The SSSC deemed that there is a low risk that such actions will be repeated by Heathcote.
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