A top care home manager was sacked after 21 years for posting three nice pictures of happy residents on Facebook.
Award-winning Rachel Burns posted three snaps and a video of her home’s Halloween party on the social network, showing two of the home’s residents singing.
Another image showed the resident enjoying himself with animals that had been brought to visit the Park Hall care home in Reigate, Surrey.
The 50-year-old also thanked staff and residents for the fun evening, adding “you all made it a fab night, proud to be your manager”.
But two months later Surrey County Council took exception to the post, saying it was a breach of social media policy to identify a resident.
Rachel was then into a disciplinary meeting where she was offered a demotion with a 50 per cent pay cut or dismissal.
Two days later a letter arrived informing her she was suspended due to a disciplinary investigation for alleged “inappropriate use of social media” and Rachel decided to leave.
Rachel was also accused of adding a resident’s relative as a friend on Facebook, but she claims she only did this to look at a Facebook group called Save Park Hall after the council tried to shut it down.
She said: “I was remorseful and didn’t mean anything malicious.
“I was trying to show the home in a positive light. I really do feel violated.
“I’m not saying I’m perfect but I have always abided by the rules. I’m friends with other relatives on Facebook and they didn’t look at that.
“I’m not perfect but I put my heart and soul into that place. I was absolutely devastated. I had always been a really good person.
“They have destroyed my career. No care home is going to take me now with that hanging over me.”
Rachel says that losing her job has been devastating, especially as her husband, Gary, is awaiting treatment for a persistent brain tumour.
In recent years she has also lost her father, mother, brother and now her dream job.
Rachel added: “We have never been in such a financial state. They have completely destroyed us. We don’t know if we are going to be able to keep the roof over our heads.
“The stress they have put Gary under while he has got a brain tumour could cause him to have a stroke. I do miss Park Hall, I loved my job. I was always very proud of working for the council.”
Since Rachel left Park Hall, several relatives of residents have come forward in her defence.
This includes Claire and Graham Pooley who are relatives of the two resident pictured in Rachel’s Facebook post.
The pair say Surrey County Council did not contact them about the matter until earlier this week.
Graham said: “If this is the way they have treated Rachel then based on this we are seriously concerned about the welfare of our relative and the other residents.
“Friday night music evenings were a highlight of his week, and he always wanted to take full part in the events, including having as many videos and photos taken of him participating in the singing.
“I can say with certainty that he would have no concerns if a photograph of him participating in the music evening was posted on Facebook. He loves pictures of himself and always wants to share them.
“No embarrassment to him or his family, or any other problems, have been created by this Facebook posting, and we and the rest of the family have absolutely no concerns that this has taken place.”
Others who are backing Rachel include Reverend David Walford, a retired health care chaplain and a member of DR R singing group who used to help run the popular music evenings.
He said: “I believe the treatment she has received to be a thoroughly unacceptable example of victimisation and constructive dismissal.
“It also appears to me to be a deliberate and engineered way of weakening Park Hall care home so that it would be much easier to close, and, after Mrs Burns’ 21 years of service, a deliberate way of saving on her redundancy money.”
Surrey County Council would not comment on the disciplinary breach, instead adding: “Alternative employment was offered but it is up to the staff member to decide whether to accept or go elsewhere.
“We wish Ms Burns all the best for the future.”
A Facebook page has been set up to campaign to see Rachel be reinstalled as manager, called Help Rachel Get Her Job Back.
