A domiciliary care worker from Caerphilly has been removed from the Register of Social Care Workers after a Social Care Wales hearing found her fitness to practise was currently impaired because of serious misconduct.
The hearing was told that Kirsty Reynolds behaved inappropriately towards a person receiving care and support by grabbing the person by the arms and wrists, pushing and slapping them, restraining them with a towel, shouting at them and not using reasonable care when shaving them.
The panel was also told that Ms Reynolds held the person’s face unnecessarily using excessive force, put a towel over their face and pulled them with it, and used abusive language towards them on more than one occasion.
After considering the evidence the panel concluded that Ms Reynolds’s fitness to practise was currently impaired because of serious misconduct.
Explaining its decision, the panel said: “Instead of caring for [the person receiving care and support] and treating [them] with dignity and respect [Ms Reynolds] abused her position of trust and subjected [them] to degrading and/or abusive behaviour with the potential to cause injury – we find that Ms Reynolds’s behaviour was abhorrent and barbaric.
“We are concerned that such behaviour suggests evidence of harmful attitudinal or behavioural problems.”
The panel continued: “We do not have any evidence that Ms Reynolds understands and has reflected upon the serious nature and potential consequences of her conduct.
“We have been informed by [a witness] that Ms Reynolds was ‘dismissive’ during the disciplinary investigation. We do not therefore have any evidence that she has shown any insight into her actions.
“Ms Reynolds has denied any wrongdoing and has not expressed any regret or remorse over her behaviour or the potential impact upon [the vulnerable person receiving care and support].
“As a result, we cannot be confident that her conduct is highly unlikely to be repeated and we find she presents a current and continuing risk to individuals using care and support services.”
The panel decided to remove Ms Reynolds from the Register, saying: “Ms Reynolds’s behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with a role in the social care profession and [we] have decided that public confidence in the social care profession would be undermined by allowing Ms Reynolds to remain on the Register.
“We consider that a Removal Order is proportionate and necessary to protect the public and the wider public interest, particularly in view of the gravity of our findings and the lack of any remediation or remorse from Ms Reynolds.”
Ms Reynolds was not present at the two-day hearing, which was held over Zoom last week.