AN AYR care worker has been struck off after taking "financial advantage" of a service user.

Rejoice Uwandi was removed from the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) register following a misconduct hearing at the end of April.

Formerly registered as a support worker for housing support services and for care at home services, Uwandi was struck off following three separate incidents in 2023.

An SSSC report described how the first incident took place while Uwandi was employed as a health care assistant in the Ayr area.

A report on an SSSC 'fitness to practise' panel hearing reveals that on July 3 last year, Uwandi called a service user a "stupid b***h" and "stupid idiot" or words to a similar effect.

The report also states that they grabbed the same service user's wrist and held their fist to their face.

They then told this service user “I will punch you in the face with your own fist”, or words to that effect.

A further two incidents mentioned in the report describe Uwandi "taking financial advantage" of a another service user - referred to as BB - while employed as a support worker.

The report first describes an incident which took place on or around April 28, 2023, during a visit to a cafe.

It states: "You did fail to interact with BB by using your mobile phone and taking photos using your mobile phone, and by your behaviour caused BB to be withdrawn

"You also did order food for your own lunch and allow BB to cover the full cost, which was in excess of the amount expected of them, and stipulated within BB’s care plan, and by your actions did take financial advantage of BB."

A third incident took place on August 11 while Uwandi was supporting the same service user.

On this occasion, the report details how Uwandi demanded that BB give them money for fuel. They would later record on a folio that £20 had been spent on shopping.

The SSSC's panel found that Uwandi acted dishonestly in doing so and caused BB stress throughout the incident.

It is set out that Uwandi's fitness to practice was impaired throughout these three incidents.

The SSSC report adds: "Social service workers should not abuse or harm people who use services.

"You were verbally abusive to a vulnerable service user, AA, and threatened the same service user with violence.

"You took advantage of service user BB by allowing them to pay an excessive amount for your meal and demand that BB give you money for fuel. You attempted to conceal this by not recording that you had taken money for fuel.

"You recorded that the money was spent on shopping when you knew this was not true. Your behaviour falls far below that expected of social service workers."

The panel's report said Uwandi's misconduct was "on the more serious end of the scale" and that a removal order was considered the most appropriate action to take as a result of this.

The panel also said Uwandi had "shown no insight, regret or apology" and "abused the trust" placed in them by service users.

Following the fitness to practice hearing, the removal notice came into effect on April 27.

The SSSC's report redacted the name of Uwandi's employer at the time of the incidents.