A Glasgow carer has been slapped with a warning after failing to turn up for work and taking money for unworked shifts.
Jack Blair was employed as a support worker in sheltered housing and care homes in Glasgow when the incidents occurred in 2022.
He has now received an 18-month warning after evidence was compiled by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) that he sent a thread of text messages claiming he gave care that was not provided as well as creating detailed notes of care that were not carried out.
READ MORE: Mum feared she had lost unborn baby after falling into 20ft unsecured manhole in Renfrewshire
The SSSC also found that the Mr Blair claimed payments for shifts that he did not work and altered the start and finish times of his working hours without informing his employer.
The texts to his employer were sent over the span a month and a half and date back to August 15, 2022, finishing on September 30, 2022, on seven separate occasions.
Texts included one that read: "is it okay for me to not say to the work so they don’t put me elsewhere lol?"
The message was sent after finding out a patient did not need support. On the same day, Mr Blair clocked in to work at 11:34am till 4.08pm when he didn''t work those hours.
On August 17, 2022 Mr Blair also sent a text altering the start of his shift without advising his employer. He then created shift notes that indicated he had attended work and detailed the support that he did not provide.
Mr Blair also clocked in to work from 11:28am to 4:21pm, and received payment for the shift, which he didn't work.
The SSSC decision reads: "Social service workers must be truthful, open, honest, and trustworthy. Social service workers must communicate in an appropriate, open, accurate and straightforward way. You have contacted a service user's [information redacted] to cancel or alter shifts without notifying your employer, created false shift notes and received payment for hours which you were aware you had not worked.
"This has placed a service user at risk of harm and without care. You have acted dishonestly, and your behaviour indicates an abuse of trust placed in you as a social services worker. Your behaviour calls your suitability to work in the sector into question and amounts to misconduct.
"This is not an isolated incident and you have demonstrated a pattern of behaviour. You have engaged in the SSSC investigation and provided comments. You have demonstrated insight and remorse for your actions. You also had a number of [information redacted] which may have contributed to your behaviour. Therefore, the SSSC has concluded that there is a risk of similar behaviour being repeated.
"There is a need to protect vulnerable service users from dishonest behaviour that could place them at risk of financial and emotional harm if the behaviour were to be repeated.
"There is public interest in maintaining trust and confidence in theregister and upholding proper standards of behaviour in the profession. You have acted dishonestly and put a service user at risk of physical and emotional harm. You have also placed your employer at risk of financial harm. A fully informed member of the public would expect a finding of impairment to be made in this case, given the factors outlined above."
The SSSC decision concluded: "After referring to our Decisions Guidance, we decided the appropriate sanction is to place a warning on your registration for a period of 18 months and the condition set out below."
READ NEXT:
Number of missing children in West Dunbartonshire almost doubles
Glasgow Jet2 flight diverted to Bulgaria as 'drunk and aggressive passenger carried off flight'
Glasgow residents with gardens told to be vigilant for 'potentially deadly insects'
Livid parents slapped with £480 fine for taking kids on holiday during term time
Tributes paid to 'legendary' Celtic fan who drove from Glasgow to Lisbon for 1967 cup final
