Mariners Park Care Home has put in place an Action Plan following a recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) review that downgraded its services overall from 'Good' to 'Requires Improvement'.
The unannounced inspection in May was carried out under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Inspections are usually every two to three years.
All personal care services in the UK are regulated by the CQC, which inspect services under five headings: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led.
The Care Home received a 'Good' rating for Caring. Inspectors found that people were supported and treated with dignity and respect and staff involved partners in their care. Staff were patient, caring and residents looked relaxed and comfortable in their company.
Residents reported that the staff were kind and treated them well. They said the staff team respected their privacy and dignity and did their best to support them.
The report made several recommendations for improvement including better management of medicines, and consent for medical treatment received where people's capacity to consent to their care was in question. The home's fire evacuation procedure needed clarification to ensure all residents have a suitable means of escape.
Staffing levels should be set to meet residents' needs in a timely manner.
Nautilus Welfare Fund management was disappointed by the overall downgrading of its services, particularly in respect to staffing, which was significantly above the level of Care Hours funded by Wirral Council under the Wirral Social Services model.
'Mariners’ Park Care Home is determined to get this right to ensure it can deliver responsive care to residents and regain its overall 'Good' rating, Welfare Services Manager Mr Mick Howarth said.
Mariners Park is funded to provide 603 care hours per week by the local authority, but at the time of the inspection had been providing 886 - an excess of 283 hours per a week
Excess hours are subsidised by the care home's charity, the Nautilus Welfare Fund, which last year spent £360,000 funding the gap between the Local Authority contribution and the actual cost of care.
In a typical week the care home now has 928 care hours available, which is over 300 hours more than the local authority funding model is based on.
The Care Home has now produced an Action Plan to address the CQC issues, which has been accepted by the Regulator, including recruiting extra staff.
Mariners Park Care Home provides accommodation with nursing or personal care for up to 32 people. The home is part of a range of services provided by Nautilus Welfare Fund to former seafarers and their families. There were 29 people living in the home when the CQC inspection was made.
CQC inspectors spoke with four people who lived in the home and two relatives.
'The Nautilus Welfare Fund is an extremely respected charity that provides an opportunity for retired seafarers and their dependants to live independently, surrounded by like-minded neighbours and with access to a full range of support services to ensure they enjoy a long, safe and happy retirement. We will continue to provide industry level care and higher across all our care settings at Mariners' Park,' Nautilus assistant general secretary Ronnie Cunningham said.
Domiciliary care services provided by the Nautilus Welfare Fund at Mariners Park was positively rated in its recent inspection from the CQC receiving an overall 'Good' rating.
The domiciliary service provides care to people in their own homes and within an extra care housing setting known as The Trinity House Hub also situated within the Park.
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