How to prepare surface - flaking acrylic paint from enamel and plaster?

My apartment renovations are grinding to a halt...the bathroom had no extraction fan and previous owners put acrylic paint over ceiling and walls. The substrate was enamel paint atop plaster walls/old plasterboard (1940s) ceiling. Its now flaking and when scraping, chipping through to the palster board in some places. Am very keen to egt the acrylic off ASAP. Its a real job every few days more flakes appear. Can I use a heat gun or will that be very bad for the plaster? Alternatively should I strip it back with some sort of chemical? Sanding is taking far too long, as the enamel wasn't that smooth before they painted over it. Do I need to just scrape as much off as possible then resurface it with jointing compund then paint over the top again?


Any helpful suggestions would be most appreciated. Cal.How to prepare surface - flaking acrylic paint from enamel and plaster?
U have the idea, just scrape off much as u can and repatch. Try to use better material then joint compound, I'd recommend by Zinsser Ready Patch, sell by the gallon. When dry it is very hard, so when applying it make sure u smooth it out much as possible so that u don't have to do so much sanding. It sounds like u don't have much ventilation therefore this will occur again. If u use solvents to remove u will have to sand anyways afterwards, and scrape so u will be doing more work. After u have applied the patch and sanded, then apply primer, I'd say prime the whole surface with oil primer like zinsser cover stain. Then apply either oil or latex enamel finish.How to prepare surface - flaking acrylic paint from enamel and plaster?
Thanks to all who answered, will attacking with the orbital and quickly filling, bonding and painting as suggested.

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this is gunna sounds wacky, but it worked for me. useeither a good 100 grit or use the metal rotary sander, like the kind attached to a drill and sand it off. than patch it. it'll get off wuts gunna flake and leave the rest. either that or scrape it all, still guna havta patch. or tear the wall off and re-drywall. cud always just throw on some 3/8 drywall. but i dunno u can get 3/8 green back.