socialmedian: Social care regulator 'ignored misconduct complaints to save money'

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Social care regulator 'ignored misconduct complaints to save money'

Source: guardian.co.uk Society

Nov 04, 2009

Summary

Backlog of conduct cases reached 700 at its peak as public safety was compromised following a budget cut, says inquiry

Complaints of misconduct against social workers were shelved to save money, after the profession's regulatory body had its budget cut, an inquiry reports today.

Applications for suspension of social workers until allegations against them could be heard were also discouraged on cost grounds, according to the report on the General Social Care Council (GSCC).

The report says that members of the GSCC's governing council believed the Department of Health had approved the cost-saving measures. The department is strongly denying that it did so.

The inquiry, carried out by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE), was ordered after it emerged this summer that the GSCC had a backlog of more than 200 cases against social workers and social work students. Many of the cases had not been risk-assessed and, on initial investigation, 21 were found to raise public protection concerns.

Mike Wardle, the GSCC's chief executive, was suspended when the

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