A CARE home worker has been removed from the register for force feeding a dementia patient and shouting at him that he was "disgusting".

Christine Spence was working as a care assistant at Balhousie Care Limited, in Angus, when she forced food into the man's mouth because he was reluctant to eat.

She admitted to the social services watchdog the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) that she force fed the patient and shouted at him that he was "bad" and "disgusting" or words to that effect in January this year.

She also admitted failing to follow orders banning her from providing care for the patient who the council found she had a "pattern of poor practice towards".

The SSSC found: "Her behaviour may have caused distress fear and alarm in the person at whom her behaviour was directed, putting said person at risk of emotional and psychological harm."

The SSSC said that the misconduct was "extremely serious".

The report accused her of having a "serious disregard for the Code of Practice". It is noted that Spence has no previous history with the council and cooperated with the investigation.

Spence admitted the charge and consented to the imposition of a removal order.