Cruel carer struck off after posing on Snapchat with OAP in toilet

Scottish Sun

28-04-2025

Cara MacLennan, 20, then lied about being sacked to try and get another job as a carer
SICK STUNT Cruel carer struck off after posing on Snapchat with OAP in toilet
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A CRUEL carer has been struck off after posting a selfie on Snapchat with a vulnerable OAP while she was in the toilet.
Cara MacLennan, 20, from Fortrose in the Highlands, pulled the sick stunt while she was working as a care assistant at Eilean Dubh Care Home in February last year.
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The former care assistant lost her job then lied on another application about the SSSC investigation in to her conduct
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Eilean Dubh Care Home where Cara MacLennan was employed as a care assistant for the elderly
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Cara MacLennan was struck off after the SSSC deemed her unfit to practice
In the picture MacLennan is posing with two fingers up while the elderly resident was in the toilet.
MacLennan also sent derogatory comments about the pensioner, who she was supposed to be caring for, telling a pal she 'doesn't know anything I'm doing'.
Her pal then shared the Snapchat image on Facebook, which was then seen by countless others.
A panel of the Scottish Social Service Council (SSSC) said MacLennan's behaviour amounted to 'abuse'
It said: 'You have taken a selfie photograph of a resident and thereafter added derogatory remarks about her, before sending this to a friend via a social media platform.
'Your behaviour of sending the photograph had consequences, whereby these were posted by a third person on a public Facebook page which caused concern to the public in general.
'The first incident took place within the workplace, where you were expected to care for the resident in an appropriate manner, thus your behaviour placed the resident at the risk of emotional harm.
'Your behaviour therefore amounts to an abuse of trust and showed a level of disregard for the Codes of Practice and amounted to abuse of a vulnerable resident.'
The panel heard MacLennan later also lied on a care assistant job application, telling her new employers she had left her previous employment because she had been 'offered a new job', when in fact, she had been sacked.
MacLennan also failed to mention she was under investigation by the SSSC for the incident.
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The panel said: 'You were dismissed from your employment and failed to disclose the reason for this dismissal which shows a level of dishonesty and concealment.
'You also demonstrated a lack of integrity by not disclosing that you were subject to a SSSC investigation.'
MacLennan was given credit by the panel for 'showing insight' and 'cooperating with the SSSC at all stages of the investigation'.
However her behaviour was deemed 'extremely serious' and 'fundamentally incompatible with continuing registration' and she was banned from working in social care.
The Panel added: 'The SSSC considers a Removal Order is the most appropriate sanction as it is both necessary and justified in the public interest and to maintain the continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession.'