Robert Crossan was spared being struck off and instead received a warning as his explaination to Scottish Social Services was accepted.
In the midst of the pandemic, a Glasgow-based care home worker, Robert Crossan, utilized a resident’s bank card for personal expenses, claiming his judgment was clouded by the pressures of lockdown. The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) accepted his explanation, and rather than dismissing him, issued a warning.
During April and May 2020, Crossan, a senior carer at Jordanhill Care Home in Glasgow, misused the resident’s card on three different occasions. He paid £53 to First Bus for a monthly travel pass, £64.39 to O2 for his mobile phone bill, and £6.63 to Uber for a ride home due to public transportation challenges during the pandemic.
The resident’s family reported the suspicious payments, prompting the care home to secure the bank card. Crossan, unaware that the family had alerted the care home, reported himself to his employer and attempted to reimburse the resident. However, his employer rejected the repayment and informed the SSSC of the incident.
Crossan resigned in May 2020 and voluntarily approached the police. The SSSC’s investigation found no evidence of dishonesty. In their written ruling, the SSSC acknowledged that the COVID-19 restrictions and stressful working conditions in the care home affected Crossan’s mental state.
Though the SSSC deemed Crossan’s fitness to practice impaired, they decided against a removal order, considering it “disproportionate and harsh.” Instead, a four-year warning was placed on his registration. Crossan returned to Jordanhill Care Home in October 2022 and has been praised as an “exemplary employee.”
Witnesses testified that Crossan’s actions were “out of character,” and the SSSC recognized the breach of trust as serious but believed he had reflected on his actions and would not repeat them. The panel concluded that an informed member of the public would likely give Crossan a second chance, emphasizing the importance of retaining dedicated workers capable of learning from their mistakes.
The SSSC concluded: “You submitted, and the panel accepted, that an informed member of the public would be willing to give you a second chance.”
