Sutherland care home worker found guilty of mistreating patient
A CARE worker has been found guilty of mistreating a severely disabled woman at a Sutherland respite care home.
Shirley Jeffery (58), Claredon Court, Elgin, forced the woman into a bath when she was still wearing clothes and an incontinence pad.
A nurse who witnessed the incident claimed the service user had been screaming, crying and fighting with the care worker.
The nurse, Charlotte Pawlowsky, said she had been deeply traumatised by the episode which took place at Beachview Lodge Respite Care Unit, Muirfield Road, Brora, on 7th December.
Jeffery, who worked at the centre for nine years and has 22 years’ experience as a care worker, went on trial at Tain Sheriff Court this week.
She denied any ill treatment and said she had not realised the service user was wearing her pyjama bottoms and still had the incontinence pad on until she went into the bath.
She said the woman had not wanted to take her top off and she did not want to force her to remove it.
Mrs Jeffery said when she realised the patient was clothed, she immediately hoisted her out of the water. She said the incident lasted only around three minutes.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood deferred sentence until 9th July for background reports.
He told Jeffery that he would not be sending her to prison and that before sentencing he wanted information on her employment prospects given the conviction.
• Full story in next week’s Northern Times.
