A care home worker in Caerphilly was removed from the register due to unresolved concerns about their fitness to practice.
They held the hearing anyway because she wasn’t there. It didn’t look like she would come later. There was no live evidence given at the hearing. Social Care Wales did not send anyone.
The panel decided charge one against Cooper was proven. We don’t know the specifics of that charge. The panel decided Cooper wasn’t fit to practice.
They based this on six reasons for impairment. They also considered if the impairment still existed. She didn’t participate, so they couldn’t judge her regret.
They worried about risks to care users. They also worried about integrity and public trust. Her actions could happen again, causing real harm.
The panel thought about different penalties, including warnings and conditional orders, but rejected them. They did not think suspending registration was right either.
They decided to remove her from the Social Care Register. This was the only suitable action they could take then. They worried about her ability to practice safely.
They issued an immediate suspension order for her. This suspended her registration right away. The suspension lasts until the removal order takes effect, or an appeal happens.
The panel said she didn’t participate in the hearing. Because of this, they couldn’t judge her suitability. They had lasting concerns about her safety.
Lack of action could hurt public confidence a lot. So, removing Cooper from the register was right. The panel felt they had no other choice.
The decision shows the panel’s worry about safe care. They also wanted to maintain standards in the profession. This protects the public and trust in social care.
Cooper was not subject to any prior interim order. No extra actions were needed at the time. The suspension order started on February 14. The removal order starts on March 14.