A SOCIAL worker has been found unfit to practise after he left a vulnerable adult alone to go and have a shower.
Domiciliary care worker John Matthew Lewis, from Milford Haven, was added to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) barred list on November 6 last year.
Lewis was caring for a vulnerable adult when he left them alone to take a shower. The adult got outside in the rain and cold weather.
A fitness to practise panel was told that the adult was placed in a potentially dangerous position as they had “no traffic sense”.
A member of the public called the police, and the adult was returned home.
“He was found to have allowed a vulnerable person to put themselves in harm's way, putting them in danger by not paying sufficient attention,” the panel heard.
This led to a referral to Social Care Wales, and Lewis was initially handed an 18-month warning on October 20 from a Social Care Wales officer over his conduct. This would have allowed him to continue working.
However, after he was added to the DBS barred lists – meaning he would be unable to work with either adults or children. This led to Lewis being called back before a Social Care Wales fitness to practise hearing.
Lewis did not appear at the hearing, which continued in his absence.
The panel concluded that Lewis’ failure to follow the care plan had caused “actual risk to the individual involved” and was “particularly damaging to public confidence in [Social Care Wales]”.
“We cannot go behind the DBS decision,” the chairman of the panel said.
“Significant concerns remain as to your responsibility.
“There are no guarantees you would not act in the same way again.
“It’s acknowledged that you have shown remorse and apologised for your actions.
“We find that his fitness to practise is currently impaired.
“We will impose a removal order.”
“Mr Lewis’ name will be removed from the Social Care Register,” the panel chairman said.
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