Northern Ireland

Care home owners insist they are 'persons of good character'

Care home owners Norman and Mildred Wylie
Care home owners Norman and Mildred Wylie Care home owners Norman and Mildred Wylie

NORMAN and Mildred Wylie have flatly denied all allegations of wrongdoing and insisted they are "persons of good character".

The couple have hit out at the Southern health trust's decision to ban new residents being referred to their homes over the past four years, accusing them of ruining their professional reputation within the close-knit village of Markethill.

Legal documents seen by The Irish News contain a lengthy affidavit from Mr Wylie, in which he defends their position and refutes the findings of the trust's probes.

He refers to the trust's first 'adult safeguarding' investigation in February 2012 and stresses that "at no point" did he or his wife receive any complaints from residents or relatives over money.

Following the trust's findings of "significant financial abuse" against six vulnerable adults, concerns were raised about the existing 37 residents and whether they should be relocated to new premises - a move Mr Wylie said was "very distressing" for long-term residents, accusing trust chiefs of acting in a "callous" manner.

The matter was referred to the PSNI and police raided the two Co Armagh care homes as well as the family home in Dungannon in October 2012, seizing documents and computers.

The PSNI launched an investigation under the 2006 Fraud Act and recommended to the PPS that a prosecution take place.

"We both denied all the offences alleged against us… Needless to say both Mildred and myself are persons of good character who had never before had any adverse dealings with the police," said Mr Wylie.

His statement adds: "I deny that the six residents considered in this report were subject to financial abuse. I dispute the accuracy of many aspects of the trust report and do not consider that it is a reliable document.”

Police referred the case to the Public Prosecution Service, but in February 2015 the PPS decided not to prosecute.

Care home owners Norman and Mildred Wylie
Care home owners Norman and Mildred Wylie Care home owners Norman and Mildred Wylie

One of the major concerns cited by the trust was overcharging for day care meals away from the homes - with vulnerable residents allegedly billed an extra £10,000 for hot meals in a day centre.

Mr Wylie conceded overcharging and agreed to repay £6,923 - a sum of money the trust claim they cannot trace and are still demanding the full £9,881.05.

In his legal submission, Mr Wylie states: "I am endeavouring to find a copy of a bank statement showing the transfer from my account to the residents' account. The transfers are each recorded within residents' cash books... but remain within the custody of the trust following the seizure of documentation by the PSNI.

"…I consider this significant payment demonstrates our willingness to co-operate with the authorities so as to ensure that any legitimate compliance issues are rectified so as to protect the interests of residents."

A key part of the Wylies' case in arguing for the trust's ban on new admissions to be lifted is the actions of the health watchdog RQIA - who had initially threatened to withdraw the couple’s registration.

The RQIA carried out two unannounced inspections in 2015 and last year, finding "safe, effective and compassionate care with all standards being met", according to Mr Wylie.

He also singles out comments made by a senior health chief at the Southern trust to the couple's solicitor, claiming the trust had "no current concern regarding the financial operation" - a position the trust report rejects.

In his affidavit, Mr Wylie accepts there have been "compliance" issues with watchdog standards in the past, but says he and his wife "deny any claim of financial abuse".

He appeals for all issues to be resolved urgently.

"What issues remain between us and the trust can and should be resolved between us without the need for the trust to continue to suspend all new placements," he wrote.

"This amounts to a blanket ban on such placements and this is simply not justified nor proportionate in all the circumstances."

He specifically refutes overcharging a resident of almost £3,000, saying he doesn’t know how the trust calculated the amount and adding that the resident's family are "fully aware of the issue" and "persistently refused to accept that any degree of reimbursement was required".

Referring to allegations of overcharging for residents' transport, Mr Wylie claims these should "not justify" the continued suspension of new placements.

"These are matters for discussion and hopefully resolution between us and the trust," he adds.

Mr Wylie concludes by accusing trust chiefs of being motivated by an "improper desire to see us punished" for historical financial abuse "which has not been established".

"The trust are effectively usurping the proper role of and function of the RQIA who could have pursued de-registration which would have effectively led to the closure of both our homes. The RQIA have chosen voluntarily not to pursue that action.

"I am also very concerned about the impact the continued suspension is having on our reputation within our working lives and within our local community.

"The trust maintain that we have been guilty of financial abuse against people in our care to the extent they can’t place any new residents with us. This undermines our reputations and working lives, built up over many years of hard work and dedication to the people that we look after."

WHO ARE NORMAN AND MILDRED WYLIE?

CARE home owners Norman and Mildred Wylie are also active members of the Armagh Elim Pentecostal Church, where Mr Wylie holds an official 'elder' position among its leaders.

They recently travelled to Kenya with the church and then took part in an event with the Elim ‘kids ministry’ in which they shared their experiences.

Mildred and Norman Wylie pictured at an event at Elim Pentecostal Church, Armagh
Mildred and Norman Wylie pictured at an event at Elim Pentecostal Church, Armagh Mildred and Norman Wylie pictured at an event at Elim Pentecostal Church, Armagh

In addition to their residential homes business, Mr Wylie is the director of Springwell Renewables Ltd, a company specialising in the disposal of non-hazardous waste - with assets listed last year of £2.3 million.

He was also appointed as the company director of a second firm, Benia Foods, last August.

Mr Wylie's favourite past-time is water-skiing.

Both Norman and Mildred Wylie acted as directors of another company, now called PPW Farms, but resigned last summer, handing the reins over to family members Pamela and Philip Wylie who are listed as the new directors.

Mrs Wylie has been a registered nurse since 1975.

In 2011 she appeared before a misconduct hearing on charges relating to the care of an elderly woman with mobility problems at Hebron House in 2007.

It emerged Mrs Wylie had refused to allow the woman to return to the home, where she had lived for nine years, even though she was discharged medically fit from hospital.

The nursing regulator revealed that Mrs Wylie left the elderly patient in her sister’s car for almost two hours at 11pm. She received a caution order for 18 months that was lifted after two years.