SAMH mental health worker told vulnerable service user he'd 'put a collar round her neck'

A mental health worker who told a vulnerable service user that he would “put a collar around her neck” has been handed a warning.

Mark Mcbriar made the comments while employed as a practitioner with Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), Glasgow.

An investigation by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) found Mcbriar had made numerous inappropriate comments to the service user, referred to as AA, around January 2024 and April 2025.

Mcbriar was found to have told the service user to “act her age”, laughed in her face when he won a game of dominoes against her, unnecessarily asked for receipts from her weekly £20 expenditure and threatened to put AA in a shed if she misbehaved.

He also said he would “put a collar around her neck or wrist”, and told her to cut down on cakes and chocolate despite nothing in her care plan pointing to this.

The SSSC said Mcbriar’s actions caused the vulnerable service user “emotional distress”.

Mcbriar was handed a 12-month warning by the SSSC and ordered to carry out further training

The notice came into effect on April 1.

SAMH has been contacted for comment.