Social worker suspended after conditions of practice order becomes unworkable

A social worker has been given a 12-month suspension order by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) after her conditions of practice order proved unworkable.

Deborah Dinah Bonner was found to have committed misconduct by the now-closed General Social Care Council (GSCC) in June 2012 after using a false reference to gain employment and misleading another employer about her past employment. The GSCC imposed a six-month suspension order.

When her case was reviewed by the HCPC in November 2012, she was given a conditions of practice order that limited her to working as a locum social worker for the recruitment consultancy QSW Solutions.

But, after QSW Solutions stopped providing locum placements, Bonner asked for the order to be removed since the restriction left her unable to work as a social worker.

However, the HCPC’s conduct and competence committee panel ruled that her misconduct was too serious and decided to replace the conditions of practice order with a 12-month suspension order since “there are now no practical and workable conditions which could be imposed”.

“Misconduct of this nature requires sanction,” the panel said in its decision. “It would be wholly inappropriate to revoke the order and allow the registrant to resume practice without restriction.”

Bonner’s new suspension order will be reviewed again by the HCPC prior to its expiry.

Read the full notice of decision