A NORTH Ayrshire carer has been struck off after stealing £2.60 from a service user's home.

Jade Morrison was removed from the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) register following a fitness to practise meeting held this month.

The decision was taken in relation to Ms Morrison's conduct during her time employed as a support worker with First Homecare, who have an Ayrshire base in Irvine and provide a care at home service across the town, Kilwinning, the Three Towns and the Garnock Valley.

The SSSC meeting found that, while employed by the company, Ms Morrison took £2.60 from a service user's home on July 24, 2022.

In doing so, with the knowledge of the service user, meeting documents state she acted dishonestly - impairing her fitness to practise.

The SSSC's report adds: "Workers are expected to act with honesty and integrity at all times and not act in a way which would place service users at risk of unnecessary harm.

"Your actions in taking money from a service user was dishonest. You have breached the trust placed in you by the service user’s family and your employer.

"In caring for this service user, you were given privileged access to their home.

"This privileged access was to allow you to carry out your caring responsibilities of the service user. However, you took advantage of your position and treated the service user’s money as your own.

"Regardless of the amount of money taken, the taking of funds from a service user’s home when you should be carrying out caring responsibilities is a serious breach of trust that suggests there are issues with your core values."

The watchdog said it considered there to be a "significant risk" of repetition, and that taking no action could lead to higher sums of money being taken without consent in future.

Their report said Ms Morrison had shown "limited insight or regret" with regards to her actions.

They add that she had not apologised following the incident and that she had not engaged in the investigation.

The report did note that it was an isolated incident and a first offence, and that Ms Morrison had admitted her behaviour at the first opportunity - but tthat removing Ms Morrison from the register was the only appropriate sanction.

First Homecare have been approached for comment.