A SUPPORT worker was let off with a warning for leaving a resident locked inside a cupboard and dishonest conduct.

The care watchdog found Brian Docherty breached a service user’s privacy by telling an ex employee the resident damaged some of his property, then denying this when asked by a colleague back in January 8, 2017.

They also found Docherty failed to follow another service user’s care plan regarding her use of a cupboard she liked to sit in while employed by Guthrie Court Ltd at Moorpark Place, Kilbirnie.

They found Docherty locked her inside the cupboard, when the door should have remained unlocked, and left her for longer than an hour back in November 26 2018, when her care plan stated she should have been checked on after 40 minutes.

When asked by three colleagues if he had locked her in the cupboard, he stated this was not true.

The Scottish Social Services Council [SSSC] decided on evidence that Docherty’s fitness to practice was impaired and put a warning on his registration for 18 months.

The SSSC said: “Social services workers are expected to work in a safe and effective way. This includes following care plans which have been designed with service users’ specific needs in mind. You failed to do this by locking CC in a cupboard and leaving her for longer than the specified time.

“Social services workers are expected to be open and honest and take accountability for their actions. On two separate occasions, when asked by your colleagues about things you had done wrong, your immediate reaction was to lie about them.”