A care home worker has been removed from her position after a fitness to practise panel found her guilty of stealing over £4,000 from a 95-year-old resident who passed away shortly after the theft was discovered. Lisa-Marie Edwards, a senior carer at Snowdon Care Home in Llanberis between February 2020 and January 2023, was accused of using the resident’s bank card without consent to make multiple withdrawals. The victim had no family nearby, so care home staff had agreed to manage her finances temporarily. However, Edwards allegedly abused this access, making 28 ATM withdrawals totaling £4,181.78.
The victim discovered the unauthorized transactions on her bank statement just a week before her death on February 7, 2023. The panel chair, Gill Murgatroyd, stated that the victim spent her final days knowing she had been a victim of theft, adding further distress to her last moments. Edwards was accused of taking money from the resident’s account on various occasions, including while she was meant to be collecting newspapers for the care home residents. These actions were described as “systematic and cynical” by the panel.
The bank statement revealed that withdrawals were made from a nearby Spar shop while Edwards was supposedly out collecting newspapers and from supermarket ATMs in Bangor while she was at home sick. Edwards did not contest the charges or engage in the hearing, showing no remorse for her actions. The panel found her manner to be dishonest and lacking in integrity, leading to their decision to issue a removal order, barring Edwards from working in a social care setting in the future.
Following a review of the evidence, the panel concluded that Edwards’s behaviour constituted serious misconduct, breaching ethical standards expected in a care home setting. The panel noted that there was no indication that Edwards would not act similarly in the future and deemed a removal order as the appropriate course of action given the severity of the case. Edwards, from Bethesda near Bangor, had worked at the care home for nearly three years before the incident came to light.
Katrina Sweetser-Hawkes, the care home manager at the time, stated that Edwards appeared to be a competent and friendly employee who knew the residents well. However, the panel’s findings highlighted a significant breach of trust and ethical standards in Edwards’s conduct. Despite her unblemished record prior to this incident, the panel deemed the removal order necessary to protect vulnerable residents in care settings.
The incident underscores the importance of thorough background checks and supervision in care facilities to prevent vulnerable residents from becoming victims of financial exploitation. The removal of Edwards from the care register serves as a warning to others in similar positions of trust regarding the severe consequences of breaching professional standards. The case highlights the need for stringent oversight and accountability measures within care homes to ensure the safety and well-being of residents.
In conclusion, the care home worker’s expulsion serves as a stark reminder of the duty of care owed to vulnerable residents and the consequences of breaching that trust. It also underscores the importance of robust safeguarding procedures and regular monitoring within care settings to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.