Care worker admits she hit patient

A CARER who worked at an Edinburgh residential home hit a 79-year-old severe dementia patient on the head, a court heard.

The city's sheriff court was told yesterday how Valerie Stone, 49, also lost control on a separate occasion and shouted aggressively at Roy Brown.

Fiscal depute Aidan Higgins told the court Stone, who is morbidly obese and has mobility problems, had "particular difficulties" with Mr Brown as well as struggling generally in her job at Braid Hills Nursing Centre.

Mr Higgins said Stone had hit Mr Brown as she and a colleague helped him to get up out of bed one morning.

Stone, of Glendinning Crescent, Edinburgh, admitted ill-treating or neglecting Mr Brown under the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act.

The offence happened on two occasions between July 1 and November 30, 2009, at the Liberton Drive home.

Stone originally faced 12 allegations which included assaults on three pensioners and a staff member as well as charges she breached the peace but these were previously deserted by the Crown. Sentence was deferred.