A social work student who fell asleep while she was supposed to be carrying out safety checks on vulnerable service users has been suspended for a year.
The student twice fell asleep while working as a night-shift co-ordinator at an emergency accommodation service in December 2010. As a result she failed to carry out mandatory two hourly health and safety checks on residents.
She then falsified records to show the checks had been done.
She had worked in social care for 10 years and has been studying to become a social worker at Glasgow Caledonia University.
The Scottish Social Services Council found her guilty of misconduct and suspended her for a year.
The conduct committee said her failure to complete the checks “exposed vulnerable service users to an increased risk of harm and fell well below the standard expected of a social service worker”.
“The subsequent falsification of the health and safety records which was a blatant and premeditated act of dishonesty and showed a significant lack of judgement,” it added.
The fact that the committee viewed the incidents as isolated was a mitigating factor on the sanction imposed.
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