Foul-mouthed Edinburgh care worker dumped vulnerable resident outside Lidl

James Edwards was issued with a six-month warning

An Edinburgh care worker dumped a vulnerable resident outside Lidl and shouted profanities at colleagues.

James Edwards was issued with a six-month warning by the Scottish Social Services Council over a series of incidents which took place in 2020 and 2021. At the time, he was a support worker for an unknown care at home and housing support service.

Edwards left one service user outside the budget supermarket 'on more than one occasion'. He also shouted 'I am the boss and don't talk to me like that' at the same vulnerable person, according to a report by the watchdog.

An Edinburgh carer has been warned after dumping a resident outside Lidl. Picture: Scottish Social Services Council offices.

On or around September 9, 2020, he caused another service user anxiety when he argued with a colleague in front of them. Speaking to another co-worker about the row, he said of his adversary that he would 'kick his **** all the way to Margiotta's and back'.

The same resident was also left 'confused' by a series of comments Edwards made, including telling him 'it is nearly Christmas' when this was not the case. Edwards also 'changed the service user's pyjamas before he had honey water' and gave him chocolate as a 'secret'.

On another occasion, Edwards shouted 'no, you have to put them on charge' at the resident when he asked for his headphones, causing him to 'scream and hit himself'.

The carer's foul-mouthed outbursts continued, with the report citing an incident in which he bellowed to a colleague: "Why did you buy him crisps? This is ******* disgusting, he only get’s a drink."

He shouted at fellow team members twice more, once when he said 'I am ******* telling you' after someone intervened in his conversation, and another when he told a colleague he should have been sitting with a resident in case they choked.

Slamming Edwards for causing 'upset' and 'distress', the report states: "The behaviour is serious and involves repeated instances of inappropriate behaviour and an inappropriate approach towards service users and colleagues as well as a failure to follow care plans.

"The behaviour resulted in upset and distress to service users and to colleagues. Given the limited insight you have displayed to date and the fact that you have not worked in the sector since, we consider there is a high and foreseeable risk of repetition.

"If the behaviour were to be repeated this would result in emotional harm to service users and colleagues raising public protection concerns. The behaviour calls into question your fitness to practise as a social service worker.

"The public would lose confidence in the social service profession and in the SSSC as the regulator of social service workers if there was a finding of no impairment and if action was not taken."