A CARER has been struck off after getting a friend to stand in for her shifts at a Glasgow home. 

Cecilia Mwansambo asked her pal to cover for her on at least ten occasions at Quarriers' Fred Martin Project, in Victoria Park Drive North, in 2018. The individual - known only a BB - also took on shifts at the same time in two different care homes as Mwansambo, with both using her identity. 

The agency worker - who was employed by Glasgow's Asa International - did the same at another home and also lied to her bosses about full time employment at Thorn Park housing support services, in East Dunbartonshire. 

 

Mwansambo's conduct came to light in a report published by regulator the Scottish Social Services Council, which found her fitness to practice impaired and struck her off the register. While Mwansambo denied knowing BB or asking her to take on shifts, the panel ruled against her.

In the report, testimony from a number of senior employees at Quarriers and Thorn Park was shared which detailed their realisation that there were two Mwansambos working shifts for the care providers. 

This included a project manager at Fred Martin - known only as VV - who met the imposter on at least ten occasions. 

It stated: "The person he met was always the same person. VV also confirmed that they would not promote the wearing of an ID badge while providing personal care or while in the community, although he did see the person with an ID badge on occasion.

"He was not close enough to confirm if the photograph was of the person wearing the ID, but it was in the name of Cecilia Mwansambo." 

He added: "[He] was sent a photograph. The photograph was not of the person he knew as Cecilia Mwansambo." 

On another occasion, the imposter collected a different Quarriers boss from a hospital appointment and gave her a mobile number purporting to be Mwansambo's. But the person - known only as YY - received a call from another number at a later date with the caller saying they were the real Mwansambo. When YY called the original number, they were told by the fake Mwansambo that they were no longer in the country. 

YY later checked the rota and found out that Mwansambo was listed down to work at two locations - Thorn Park and another which was redacted - on that date. 

This was not the only time two Mwansambos were found to have been down to work at Thorn Park and the redacted home. 

Glasgow Times: The Fred Martin project, which has now closed down The Fred Martin project, which has now closed down

The report stated it was "impossible" to work at both on one shift as they were "many miles apart". 

Mwansambo denied the allegations to the SSC panel and said she did not known BB. But she couldn't explain how BB had managed to have her ID. 

She was also ruled to have lied to Asa International bosses about being no longer being employed at Quarriers when she took on agency shifts at Thorn Park. 

A finding read: "The Panel found the evidence of the witnesses to be broadly credible and reliable. Indeed, to a significant extent, there was little about what each witness had to say that was factually disputed by you.

 

"You acknowledge that you did not carry out shifts at either [information redacted] or Fred Martin Project during the periods specified or indeed at all.

"There is also evidence in the bundle to the effect that two people called Cecilia Mwansambo were carrying out shifts at the same time in different locations.

"The Panel consider that, on balance, you did allow BB to impersonate you." 

A spokesperson for Quarriers said: “Following an internal investigation, Quarriers found that Ms Mwansambo had knowingly allowed another individual to use her identity and details to register with and undertake agency shifts.  

"Accordingly, Quarriers dismissed Ms Mwansambo, referring the case to both the SSSC and Disclosure Scotland.  Quarriers fully supports the decision of the SSSC to issue a Removal Order.”

Asa International did not respond to a request for comment.