A social worker did no follow-up during 3 months

Hugo Duchaine

Saturday, 29 July, 2017 08:00

UPDATE
Saturday, 29 July, 2017 08:00

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A social worker from Montreal is cancelled six months for being neglected for three months a patient was old and sick, eventually died from pneumonia and a serious infection in 2015.

Aileen Borruel, who works for a CLSC, of the metropolis, pleaded guilty in front of the College of social workers and marriage and family therapists of Quebec to have been an act derogatory to the honour and dignity of his profession.

The social worker, who has never visited his client for the months of April to July, has also failed to act with readiness and diligence, according to the judgment rendered last week, while the patient was in need of weekly follow-ups to ensure his safety.

Ms. Borruel had received the support of this client, whose identity is protected, in 2015, following the departure of a colleague. However, the social worker has not visited nor contacted for three months, until he was found very sick in his apartment and that he died in the hospital in the following days.

She has not approached the Support for the autonomy of the elderly (SAPA) to assist him, and did not make any verification with respect to the health or safety of the patient.

The judgment relates that when Mrs. Borruel has been informed of the facts, she remained in shock and took full responsibility for his lack of follow-up.

“The offence is very serious and undermines the credibility of the profession “, it read, adding that the social worker has never been the subject of any other complaint in seven years.

Overload ?

In spite of everything, the disciplinary board noted that Ms. Borruel ended up with a total of 43 folders after the departure of his colleague, in addition to emergencies day-to-day, while she worked only four days per week.

“One may wonder if it is a workload to be too demanding […] The health system might be in need of more labour “, written in the judgment.

Moreover, the judgment demonstrates that the death of the patient has also led to a revision of practices at the CLSC where it was employed the respondent. It is not named.

Thus, a supervisor must now look at all the folders that are handed over to a new social worker to assess the vulnerability of the patients that will be supported.

Then, a social worker who leaves his files to a colleague must now leave notes on each patient.

Shared responsibility

For the acting director of professional development at the College of social workers and marriage and family therapists of Quebec, Marie-Lyne Roc, the workload must be a shared responsibility.

“It should not hesitate to speak to the employer if the workload is too great “, she says, adding that the CLSC also have a duty to the people to provide quality care.