Cardiff care worker with suspected Covid 'put vulnerable at risk'

Care worker Samantha Gould carried out home visits while suspected of having Covid-19

A care worker put 22 vulnerable people at risk by carrying out home visits while she was suspected of having Covid-19, a tribunal has heard.

A Care Standards hearing heard Samantha Gould made visits in June after a GP told her isolate and get a test.

Appealing an 18-month suspension imposed last month, Ms Gould said she had "a verbal negative" result before the visits for a Cardiff care company.

In a ruling published this week, Judge Faridah Eden dismissed her appeal.

Social Work Wales had ordered the interim suspension of Ms Gould in August, when she was working for 1st Grade Care in Cardiff.

The care service watchdog said Ms Gould had "showed a reckless disregard for the health and wellbeing of those in her care".

But Ms Gould told the tribunal during the visit she had "kept her distance" and "had an apron, gloves and mask".

She told the tribunal the ban had been "highly stressful" for her.

'Broke rules to protect vulnerable'

Dismissing her appeal, the judge said the allegations against Ms Gould were "extremely serious", and she was "working with highly vulnerable people who would be at great risk were they to become infected with Covid-19".

She added there was "strong evidence that [Ms Gould] put the public at risk" and "knowingly broke rules which were intended to protect the vulnerable people she was working with".

Ms Gould is also alleged to have falsely attempted to claim payment for work carried out by an unauthorised member of staff and to have misled her new employer, Care Cymru, about the investigation into her conduct.

When a Social Care Wales officer called Care Cymru in September, Ms Gould answered the phone and said she did not know she was suspended but claimed she had been "open" with her new employer about the investigation.

However, days later, a member of staff at Care Cymru told the regulator they were "unaware of the investigation" - prompting Social Care Wales to consider an investigation into whether she was "truthful and honest" with the firm.

The decision to suspend Ms Gould from the social care register was "proportionate" ruled Judge Eden

At a hearing in February, Ms Gould claimed she "received the telephone call giving the negative result" in June, in the morning before going out for her first call of the day.

She denied "concealing" that she had worked when she had been told to self-isolate and said she felt she was being "set up".

Ms Gould also said she did not tell Care Cymru about the investigation because she "did not think it would go this far", but admitted she was "in the wrong" for telling Social Work Wales she had informed her new employer about it.

A senior official at Social Care Wales told the tribunal that they did not accept Ms Gould's claim she was verbally told she recorded a negative test because her colleagues at 1st Grade Care said that "she did not tell them".

'Impact on mental health'

Graham Miles, representing the regulator, told the tribunal Ms Gould's behaviour put "six staff members and 22 vulnerable people" at risk.

In her ruling, Judge Eden said she was concerned Ms Gould "has not acknowledged that she may have put anyone at risk", which she said "adds to the weight of the allegations".

The judge found that there was also "strong evidence to support the allegation that [Ms Gould] has acted dishonestly".

Ms Gould had told the tribunal the interim suspension was "having an impact on her mental health".

But Judge Eden said: "We understand that the ongoing investigation has been highly stressful for the appellant.

"However, we must also take into account the vulnerability of the service users which the appellant would be supporting and the seriousness of the allegations.

"Balanced against these considerations, we consider it proportionate for the appellant to be suspended from working in registered positions."

It is expected that a full fitness to practise case against Ms Gould will be heard at a later date.