Social worker whose failings created extra work for colleagues struck off

A social worker's failure to do tasks "imposed extra burdens" on colleagues

Photo: Thodonal/Fotolia

A social worker whose failings “imposed extra burdens” on her colleagues has been struck off by the HCPC.

A conduct and competence committee heard how the social worker failed to carry out statutory visits, respond to phone calls from service users or complete viability assessments in four separate cases.

“The registrant’s behaviour resulted in acutely vulnerable children being exposed to the risk of harm, as well as diminishing the confidence of other service users in the service for which the registrant worked and imposed extra burdens on colleagues and other agencies,” the panel said.

It heard that her cases were reallocated to other social workers, and her managers had to do extra work to chase up cases. Because of her actions, service users made complaints about the “upset and annoyance” they experienced, which the panel said caused disaffection with the service.

No explanation

The social worker – who had worked in the authority for 12 years before the failings occurred – did not engage in the process, and therefore did not show remorse or insight into her conduct, the panel said.

In her local authority’s internal investigation she offered “no explanation” about why she failed to complete the tasks, or would falsely claim she had done them, the panel heard.

When issues with her practice were first identified, the council reduced her caseload and provided her with extra supervision, but she “repeatedly failed to perform to an acceptable standard”.

The panel concluded a striking off order was necessary to “protect the public in a case with a total lack of insight and apparent unwillingness or inability to resolve matters”.

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9 Responses to Social worker whose failings created extra work for colleagues struck off

  1. lucy May 31, 2017 at 12:39 pm #

    It sounds like this social worker became too tired and burnt out to care, given she was employed there for 12 years. It sounds like she was her own worst enemy too for lying about completing her tasks and not being more open with her employer about her struggles.

  2. Ian May 31, 2017 at 7:41 pm #

    Chew them up and spit them out…

    I don’t know the woman or her former employer but I’m fairly confident the employer was lucky to get 12 years out of her and they should have given her a change of role to let her heal and blossom again.
    I’m also pretty sure she should and could have been better served (and the employer too) by internal creativity rather than the cop-out of the hcpc.

  3. wiseacre June 1, 2017 at 12:39 pm #

    A pity Luke Stevenson or his editor could not have given us a link to the source so that we could know more about the case and be in a better position to comment.

  4. Michelle June 1, 2017 at 7:21 pm #

    I am curious if this SW was burnt out hence her lack of comment. I am yet to see a case where the HCPC have acted in support.

  5. Tracey mcintyre June 1, 2017 at 8:12 pm #

    Are there any other professionals being stuck off?

  6. Ivan June 2, 2017 at 9:17 am #

    It’s not surprising the see the outpouring of sympathy for this person and blaming “The system” for the individual responsibility of the worker. I too have been burnt out over the last 14 years….but take responsibility for doing something about it; it’s not like there is a shortage of jobs out there. This person also had suppport from her employer according to the article.

    The unfortunate relaity is that ALL of us like to think that we and our colleagues are doing a tireless job and doing the best we can; but some people don’t do that. Some of us do end up carrying our colleagues believing that they are being “bullied” or such like by managers. Some managers are not nice and they do bully, but the HCPC can see that too.

    Before everyone jumps on the bandwagon with “It’s all the fault of the system”, do what we are supposed to do and reflect……some people are just lazy and play the victim too much!

  7. Ian Mancor June 2, 2017 at 11:14 am #

    Pity the HCPC doesn’t strike off senior managers and commissioners whose failings have caused extra work and unnecessary stress for their colleagues on the front line! Appears the same stringent rules don’t apply to them?