Edinburgh carer struck off after vulnerable patient “thrown back in a wheelchair”

On one occasion, the carer was found to have “forcefully turned” and pushed the patient’s wheelchair under a table, causing them to be thrown forward and back while in it.

Ms Clarkson was working in Kirkliston at the time.

On numerous occasions, an Edinburgh carer has been struck off the register after acting “abusively” towards a vulnerable patient.

This week, the Scottish Social Services Council chose to issue the notice to Gail Clarkson after investigating her behaviour in 2021.

According to the council, Clarkson had been working for Professional Carers Ltd when she committed a series of inexcusable behaviour toward a patient.

Within just two weeks, the review found that Clarkson had not only spoken to but also acted aggressively toward the patient.

On one occasion, the carer was found to have “forcefully turned” and pushed the patient’s wheelchair under a table, causing them to be thrown forward and back while in it.

Despite being in a role to support vulnerable people, Clarkson had also spoken to the patient offensively on multiple occasions when she was asked where they were going.

Records show Clarkson said phrases like “it’s doing my head in” and “just shut up and stop asking questions.”

As well as ignoring the patient on various occasions, Clarkson also “abruptly” pulled the bed covers off them and shouted, “get up now.”

In a final review of the offences, the Scottish Social Services Council said that the patient had been treated with no respect or dignity and made the call to strike Clarkson from the register.

A review read: “Social service workers must not abuse, neglect, or harm people who use services. They are also expected to communicate in a suitable, open, exact, and straightforward way.

"On many occasions, your behaviour towards AA, who had dementia, was abusive and a failure to communicate in an appropriate caring manner.

"Service users have the right to expect they are treated with dignity and respect and protected from harm by social service workers. Your behaviour in repeatedly telling AA to shut up, to stop asking questions and ignoring AA when she asked a question was a failure to treat AA with respect. It was likely to have caused significant emotional harm.

"The behaviour demonstrated a lack of empathy towards AA and a failure to understand her needs."