Convicted social work student struck off Welsh register

A social work student who was convicted of stealing about £45,000 from former colleagues has been struck off by the Care Council for Wales.

Amy Bishop, 28, used credit cards belonging to other employees and stole petty cash from BBI Healthcare, where she worked in 2006, according to local reports.

She was charged with theft and 12 counts of fraud by false representation on 17 January 2009.

But Bishop did not immediately inform Swansea University, where she had enrolled to study a BSc in social work in September 2008, or the Care Council for Wales.

She was convicted at Swansea Crown Court on 20 April 2009 and sentenced to a one-year jail term suspended for two years and 200 hours of community service.

Swansea University also found Bishop found guilty of unfair practice in June 2009 after she copied a “significant portion” of a piece of coursework from another student.

A conduct committee found Bishop guilty of misconduct on 15 June. She did not attend the hearing.

The committee said removal from the register was the only appropriate sanction because the risk to the public outweighed Bishop’s desire to become a social worker.

“A social care worker is expected to demonstrate high standards of trustworthiness, honesty and integrity,” the committee said.

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