A support worker has been reprimanded for taking a picture of a vulnerable service user’s bottom – which was then accidentally uploaded online.

Home carer Heather Thomson denied taking the image and instead blamed the service user, but that was refuted by Scotland’s care watchdog.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) found Thomson’s fitness to practise impaired and has handed her a 12-month warning on her registration.

In a written ruling published this month, the SSSC said that Thomson didn’t intend to cause harm – but the service user then mistakenly uploaded the picture to a social media platform, which allowed others to be able to view the image.

“This then caused extreme emotional and psychological distress to [the service user],” it said.

The incident occurred in November 2020.

The SSSC said Thomson took the picture on the service user’s mobile phone at their request.

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The watchdog added: “As a social service worker you are expected to provide care to vulnerable service users, however by taking a picture of [the service user’s] bottom on [their] phone you breached that trust and confidence placed on you.

“Although [the service user] did request for you to take the picture it would have been reasonable to expect that you would recognise the vulnerability of [the service user] and use your professional working relationship with [them] to explain why taking the picture would not be appropriate.

“You have failed to adhere to professional boundaries that are put in place to protect service users from any unnecessary risk of harm.”

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The SSSC warned there remains a “risk of repetition”, noting: “You have shown very little insight, regret, or remorse for your behaviour.

“You have denied taking the picture on behalf of [the service user] and instead advised that it was [the service user] who had taken the picture.”

As well as the warning, which came into effect on Saturday, Thomson has been ordered to provide a reflective account of her misconduct to the SSSC.

She will also have to undergo additional learning, which will include how to help safeguard adults with limited mental capacity “who may wish to use social media in a way that could potentially be harmful to them”.

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