Hearings and decisions
Upcoming hearings and decisions made by our adjudicators
Alice Cunningham
Registration number
SW124157
Allegations
Whilst employed as a social worker at Worcestershire Council between April and December 2021, you:
1. Did not complete needs assessments adequately:
a. for the Service Users set out in Schedule A, in that you did not identify and/or explore the risks raised in their referrals;
b. within the expected timeframes for the Service Users set out in Schedule B.
2. Did not provide adequate detail and/or professional analysis in the support plans for the Service Users set out in Schedule C.
3. Did not review Service User 16’s support plan until 1 December 2021 when you were allocated their case on 6 July 2021.
4. Did not complete a Mental Capacity Assessment and/or Best Interest Decision for Service User 2 before:
a. placing them in a care home on 9 November 2021;
b. completing a Client Charging Notification form on 5 November 2021.
5. Following Service User 2’s placement in a care home on 9 November 2021, did not follow up with Service User 2’s family and/or the care home until 19 November 2021.
6. Did not complete a Best Interest Decision before placing Service User 10 in a care home on 12 October 2021.
7. Did not complete a Care Act assessment:
a. For Service User 4 from allocation on 25 June 2021 until the case was re-allocated on 28 September 2021;
b. For Service User 17 between supervisions on 27 September 2021 and 23 November 2021.
8. In relation to a visit to Service User 12 (“SU12”) and their family on 17 November 2021, you:
a. did not challenge and/or explore during the meeting a family member’s wish for SU12 to stay in a care home;
b. did not follow up with SU12’s care home to gather information in relation to his care.
9. Did not contact the following service users and/or their family members within appropriate timescales and/or at all, namely:
a. Service User 4’s case was allocated on 25 June 2021 and first contact was made on 28 July 2021.
b. Service User 5’s referral was received on 8 November 2021 and first contact was made on 16 November 2021.
c. Service User 7’s case was allocated on 29 October 2021 and no contact was made by 23 November 2021.
d. Service User 18’s case was allocated on 19 August 2021 and first contact was made on 1 September 2021.
10. Did not record a telephone conversation with Service User 8’s daughter on 9 November until 26 November 2021.
11. Did not provide evidence to support your decision that Service User 11 required 24 hour support.
The matters set out in paragraphs 1 to 11 above amount to lack of competency and/or capability.
By reason of the matters set out above your fitness to practise is impaired by virtue of your lack of competency and/or capability.
Schedule A:
i. Service User 1
ii. Service User 3
Schedule B:
i. Service User 1
ii. Service User 2
iii. Service User 3
iv. Service User 9
Schedule C:
i. Service User 13
ii. Service User 11
iii. Service User 14
iv. Service User 15