AN AYR care worker has been handed a warning after her behaviour "fell below the standards expected". 

The warning has been placed on Fiona Crawford's record for the next 12 months after it was found that her "fitness to practice is impaired".

A report by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) found that on July 2 this year, whilst she was a care assistant at Atlantic View Care Home, she held up a resident soiled bedsheet and stated "look at this, this is your s***e", or words to that effect.

The report said: "Your behaviour is very serious. You are an experienced registered social service worker, who has been registered with the SSSC since June 2019 and you should have been aware of the standards expected of you.

"People who use services are entitled to feel safe and confident that social service workers will treat them with kindness, compassion and respect in their own environment.

"The public would expect the SSSC to make a finding of impairment to your fitness to practise to mark that conduct of this nature by a registered social service worker is unacceptable and must not happen again.

"There is a requirement to reaffirm clear standards of professional conduct. It is likely that your behaviour would damage the reputation of the profession and the SSSC should no action be taken.

"Your behaviour fell below the standards expected of a registered social service worker."

The report added that Ms Crawford has "not shown any meaningful insight, reflection, apology or regret for your actions".

Factors in her favour included the fact that this was an isolated incident, she had good previous history with the SSSC and cooperated with the investigation.

The warning came into effect from October 29.