Ayr Nursing Home Launches Probe Over Bebo Rant

Jul 18 2008

A CARE home assistant has been suspended after it was claimed she slagged off residents on the internet.

Zoe McGinn allegedly made vile statements over social networking site Bebo.

But within hours of posting the comments, furious bosses at Claremont nursing home in Ayr suspended the 18-year-old.

Although they have since been deleted, the Ayrshire Post understands that the comments were in response to a colleague asking Miss McGinn how her nightshift went.

She is alleged to have replied by naming two vulnerable residents, a male and female, and mocking their erratic behaviour.

It’s claimed that Miss McGinn, from Drongan, concluded the comment with the words: “How funny.”

Tom Graham from Bupa, which runs the home in Whitletts Road, insists that incidents like this are rare.

He added: “Our residents’ wellbeing, dignity and privacy is our highest priority and we do not tolerate any behaviour by staff which, however rare, may fall below the high standards we expect. We suspended the care assistant immediately and are conducting a thorough investigation.”

Barbara Mulligan from the South Ayrshire Elderly Forum blasted Miss McGinn’s “disgusting” behaviour.

She said: “This is exactly the same as a doctor or nurse disclosing personal information about their patients.

“It’s a major breach of confidentiality. She must have known she shouldn’t have done it, she would have been told as soon as she started working at Claremont.

“It’s disgusting. This girl doesn’t know what is around the corner for her, she could end up in the same position as these people. They don’t do it for the sake of doing it. They have mental health illnesses.

“I find it really worrying that people are using things like Bebo for this purpose.”

And she heaped praise on the nursing home for their quick reaction.

She added: “The management at Claremont have done the right thing. As soon as they were made aware of the comments, the girl who made them was suspended.

“But they must make an example of her. It has to be made clear to other people who would think about acting in this way that it’s not acceptable.”

The Ayrshire Post contacted Miss McGinn but she refused to comment.