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Jacqueline Banks, a former nurse from Denny near Falkirk, was startled one morning when sheriff officers appeared unexpectedly at her doorstep. Initially mistaking them for police detectives due to concern for her family, she soon discovered they were delivering legal threats from the operator of a care home. These letters were related to her speaking out in a BBC documentary about her aunt’s treatment at Oakeshott House in Stirling, which is managed by Morar Living. The use of sheriff officers, who typically enforce court orders and deliver legal documents, was described by the care home operator as the most reliable method for ensuring delivery of these letters.
Jacqueline’s aunt, Caitriona MacMillan, a former primary school teacher, passed away in 2023 after spending her final years at Oakeshott House. The Care Inspectorate upheld eight separate complaints regarding her care. Beyond the issues during her aunt’s stay, Jacqueline raised serious concerns about the delay in returning Caitriona’s deposit of £9,600. In fact, it took nearly a year for the family to receive the refund. Caitriona’s family is not alone; they are one of ten families who reported waiting several months, and sometimes over a year, to reclaim deposits or other payments from four Morar homes across Scotland.
The BBC provided the care operator an opportunity to respond to the allegations prior to airing the documentary, disclosing the identities of the residents involved with the families’ permission to ensure fair comment. However, shortly afterward, several families including Jacqueline’s received intimidating letters at their homes, many delivered by sheriff officers. These letters accused those speaking out of making serious allegations against Morar Living, implying failings in duty of care, possible financial misconduct, and even criminal behaviour. Jacqueline described her feelings after reading the letter as a mix of fear and anger, calling the approach “intimidatory, disproportionate, and aggressive,” but insisted she was telling the truth and felt even more determined to continue her campaign for accountability.
Other families affected by delayed refunds echoed Jacqueline’s experience. Victoria Hogg, whose husband Keith stayed at Harbour House care home in Musselburgh, waited 18 months to recover £19,000 from Morar. She found the appearance of sheriff officers delivering the letter intimidating and felt wrongly targeted for simply telling the truth. Morar Living stated that these letters were necessary to meet legal and regulatory requirements, especially concerning confidentiality and the proper handling of sensitive personal medical information. They denied attempting to block any family members from speaking to the BBC or participating in the programme and stressed their written policies and legal processes to ensure refunds are accurately and rightfully made. The operator also submitted a formal complaint to the BBC regarding the documentary while affirming that the safety and wellbeing of residents remains their top priority
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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