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30
Oct
Harrogate care worker admits stealing drugs from dementia patients
A Harrogate care worker has pleaded guilty to stealing medicines from 12 dementia patients.
Emily Beck, 32, was employed at specialist dementia care home Vida Hall in Starbeck at the time.
She marked the medicines as having been administered on the system but took them for personal use, Harrogate Magistrates Court heard yesterday (October 29).
Beck admitted all 12 counts of ill-treating or wilfully neglecting individuals and one count of theft between July 31 and August 18 last year.
She stole prescription medications, including those taken for Alzheimer’s, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pain relief and depression at the Vida Healthcare home on Station View.
The defence solicitor said Beck hadn’t taken any medications that patients needed to survive, no individual was harmed, and the offences occurred over a short period.
The Probation Service requested a report before sentencing. Beck is next due in court at Harrogate on December 11.
A spokesperson from Vida Healthcare said:
The safety, dignity and well-being of our residents, many of whom are elderly and vulnerable, is our utmost priority so the actions of a former employee as outlined in the court case today are extremely disappointing.
The standards expected of all employees are clearly set out in our policies and training and this kind of behaviour has no place within our organisation. Upon becoming aware of the matter we informed the Safeguarding authorities and the police and took immediate action in accordance with our internal disciplinary procedures. This resulted in the subsequent dismissal of the individual concerned.
Since 2010, Vida Healthcare has been providing high-quality, specialised dementia care for hundreds of residents a year. We are incredibly proud of our record and reputation with each of our three homes in Harrogate rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, a ranking awarded to less than five per cent of the more than 14,800 care homes in England.
We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of care across all of our homes.
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