VIDEO: Neighbours' support for Plymouth care home 'squatters'

[Tony Gosling]

VIDEO: Neighbours' support for care home 'squatters'
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/VIDEO-Neighbours-support-care-home-squatters/story-19603875-detail/story.html#axzz2atuNI7mE
Friday, August 02, 2013

Plymouth Herald

By LISA CLARK @lisaclarkherald

TWO former carers squatting in their old place of 
work are continuing their sit in – supported by neighbours.

As reported in yesterday's Herald whistleblowers 
Rosemary Parker and Launa Llewellyn-Jones are 
squatting in Park View care home in Plymouth and 
have now been there for three days.

They hope their drastic measure will force their 
former boss into paying them the £40,000 he was 
ordered to cough up at a tribunal. People living 
near to now defunct Peverell care home have been 
supporting the women by giving them food and drinks and keeping them company.

Owner, Nick Chapman, said he would be seeking an 
urgent injunction to force the women out. But he 
was unavailable for contact yesterday.

Rosemary said: "We've not heard anything or been 
told by the court to get out so we're assuming he hasn't done it yet.

"The neighbours here have been brilliant. They've 
been helping us protest in the street with our posters.

"We're quite prepared to stay here for as long as 
it takes – weeks or even months."

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the health 
watchdog, took enforcement action against Park 
View and Southview in May, after inspectors found 
that medicines were not being administered 
properly. Both homes are owned by Mr Chapman's 
company, Ashley Residential Care Limited, whose 
registered office is in Torquay.

In early July, a few weeks after the CQC reports, 
Plymouth City Council's safeguarding team stepped 
in and moved out the elderly residents from the two homes.

The action came in the wake of whistle-blowing in 
February by employees Mrs Parker and Ms Llewellyn-Jones.