Glenrothes carer made racially motivated and sexual remarks and mocked wheelchair user

The SSSC ruled that Anderson was no longer fit to practice.

Paul Anderson has been struck off from the care register after mimicking a care user, known only as AA, by sitting in a wheelchair, sounding the horn, pretending to band into objects, imitating the service user’s vocal sounds and drooling – all of which he did in front of AA.

While working in Glenrothes with Sense Scotland, he also made sexually suggestive comments to one colleague, and made a racially motivated reference to another Asian co-worker.

At a panel conducted by the Scottish Social Services Council it was found that Anderson’s fitness to practice was impaired and he was removed from the register.

The panel heard that on September 2, 2021, while bathing supported person AA, colleague ZZ was splashed with water, to which Anderson said: “I bet that is not the only way you get soaking.”

By the comment, Anderson was deemed to act in a way that was sexually motivated.

Later while shampooing AA’s hair, reference a colleague's Asian heritage (identified as YY), in saying: “What would this be called if YY was doing it? An Indian head massage?”.

In summing up, the panel ruled: “Social service workers must respect and maintain the dignity of people who use services. You imitated a vulnerable person in your care showing a lack of dignity and respect. This could have caused harm to AA.

Social service workers must not behave, while in or outside work, in a way which would bring their suitability to work in social services into question. The misconduct as a whole raises serious values concerns and calls into question your suitability to work in the profession.

"In the course of one day at work and in the presence of AA, you acted in both a sexually motivated manner and a racially motivated manner towards colleagues.”

The panel added: “You have not shown insight, regret or apology. Your position appears to be that these matters were jokes and shouldn’t have been taken seriously.”

It concluded: “The SSSC considers a Removal Order is the most appropriate sanction.”