Warnings have been issued to two support workers at a Dumbarton care home who failed to seek medical advice for a resident who suffered a broken leg.

Margaret Casey and Sheelagh Frame have been sanctioned by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) following an incident at Crosslet House.

A report from the council says in January 2018 the two women did not seek advice when “resident AA” complained of a leg pain and displayed a change in mobility which meant they had to go to bed using a wheelchair, having previously been mobile.

The report states: “Your failure contributed to a delay in [the resident] receiving medical treatment for a broken femur and in light of the above your fitness to practise is impaired because of your misconduct.”

It said factors of concern were that both were experienced social service workers and would be expected to identify the change to a resident’s appearance and seek medical advice.

Their behaviour occurred in the work place and placed a vulnerable resident at unnecessary risk of harm.

It added: “Resident AA had an injury and did not receive medical attention until the following day.”

In declaring that the women’s fitness to practise was impaired, the council said: “Service users have the right to expect that the care they receive from social service workers, in whom they place their trust and confidence, will protect them from harm.

“By failing to seek medical advice after resident AA displayed a change to their mobility and was advising of a pain in their leg, breached the trust and confidence placed in you as a social service worker and placed resident AA at a prolonged risk of harm.

“Social service workers must uphold the public trust and confidence in social services and must not place vulnerable service users at an unnecessary risk of harm.

“Workers must be reliable and dependable; however, by failing to seek medical treatment for AA [this] demonstrated behaviour that would indicate that there is an on-going need to protect vulnerable service users from your behaviour.”

The SSSC said factors in the women’s favour were that they had co-operated with the investigation and regretted their action of not seeking medical advice.

The council also noted this was first occasion they been subject to a finding that their fitness to practise had been impaired and they had learned from the experience.

It was also an isolated incident.

The council placed a warning on the women’s registration to last for six months from April 5.

Both admitted their fitness to practise was impaired and accepted the warning.

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) expects the highest standards from all staff to ensure the safety and protection for people who use our service.”