Saturday 29 June 2013

A Slap on the Wrist?

I’ve commented on Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) decisions before - http://chrismillsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/name-shame-blame.html - in that case because I felt that discipline was an excessive response.

Now I am reacting to another case in the opposite direction - http://www.hpc-uk.org/mediaandevents/pressreleases/index.asp?id=658 

A panel of the HCPC Conduct and Competence Committee heard that a social worker was with others outside the victim’s house shouting abuse. Apparently she was heard to shout out threats to kill a victim inside the property. As a result she appeared in court and was convicted of a criminal offence.

One report states that she was heard to shout “baby murders” - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2351562/Social-worker-suspended-12-months-screaming-baby-murderers-outside-couples-house-threatening-kill-them.html 

The HCPC panel concluded that the social worker’s behaviour was “wholly unacceptable, unprofessional and deplorable conduct and brings the profession into disrepute”. They can say that again!

The panel expressed the view that this type of bullying behaviour called into question her suitability to remain in social work, but then decided the most appropriate action was to suspend her from the Register for a period of twelve months!

Sorry, perhaps I didn’t hear that correctly. Twelve months = one year = 365 days = over in 2014 and back to work. Surely not!