A former Leonard Cheshire worker who embezzled nearly £30,000 from beneficiaries of the disability charity has been struck off the Scottish social care register.
Last year, Burnett was convicted of stealing £29,900 from five residents at a Leonard Cheshire home in Edinburgh, where she worked as a team leader.
Following a prosecution by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Burnett was placed on a 12-month supervision order and subjected to a restriction of liberty order.
She was also ordered to pay £3,000 in compensation to the four residents – one who had since died – within 28 days.
Now, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) has imposed a removal order removing her from its register for social care workers.
In its notice of decision, published this month, the SSSC said that given the seriousness of Burnett’s conviction, “if similar behaviour were to be repeated it would place vulnerable people at a serious risk of harm”.
“The behaviour leading to your conviction is indicative of an underlying values or attitudinal issue,” it said.
“Your conviction and the behaviour leading to your conviction is incompatible with continued registration in a trusted and caring profession.”
Removal order is ‘most appropriate sanction’
The SSSC said giving Burnett a warning “wouldn’t be appropriate” – as her conviction “is extremely serious” – and “would give no protection to people who use services or the public”.
Likewise, “a condition wouldn’t be appropriate because there are no conditions which could be placed on you which would address why your fitness to practise is impaired”, it said.
“Your conviction gives rise to concerns about your values, and this cannot be managed by way of a condition given the abuse of trust.”
The regulator added that a suspension order would also not be appropriate as Burnett’s conviction is “fundamentally incompatible with continuing registration”, and that there is no evidence that it would allow her to remedy the cause of the impairment of her fitness to practise.
“The SSSC considers a removal order is the most appropriate sanction as it’s both necessary and justified in the public interest and to maintain the continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession and the SSSC as the regulator of the profession,” it said.
The SSSC said Burnett’s behaviour “amounted to financial abuse of vulnerable people” and a breach of the trust placed in the five victims, her employer and the public.
It added that Burnett, who had been registered with it since May 2013, had provided no insight, regret or remorse about her behaviour.
Charity supports decision
A spokesperson for Leonard Cheshire said: “We note and support the decision of the SSSC.
“As we’ve stated previously, this was a despicable abuse of trust by Burnett, who was suspended and subsequently dismissed by the charity as soon as concerns were raised.
“We expect the highest standards from anyone working for us. All relevant authorities and regulators were informed immediately, including the police who began investigating.
“Scotland management at the time took steps to strengthen financial controls at individual services, with support from an external auditor. All service users who lost money have had this reimbursed by the charity.
“Processes and procedures are in place at all Leonard Cheshire services to minimise the risk of any staff member, however senior, committing this type of crime. The systems we have now are designed to identify suspicious activity far sooner.”
