Mariners Park Care Home

Updated 14 June 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by two inspectors, a member of the medicines team and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Mariners Park Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Mariners Park Care Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the nominated individual, registered manager, deputy manager, chef, estates manager, nurse, carers, senior carers and an admiral nurse. An admiral nurse specialises in dementia care and supporting family members of people living with dementia. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We spoke with 7 people who lived in the home and 11 relatives, about their experience of the care provided. We also received feedback from a visiting professional.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 3 staff files in relation to safe recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits were also reviewed.

Updated 14 June 2023

About the service

Mariners Park Care Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to people, some of whom were living with dementia. At the time of inspection, there were 36 people living in the home. The home is part of a range of services provided by Nautilus Welfare Fund to former seafarers and their families.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service were not fully effective in identifying areas of the service that required improvement or ensuring conditions of registration were adhered to. The service had not addressed all the issues raised at the last inspection.

Whilst care plans had been improved, further work was needed to these as they contained conflicting information regarding people’s needs and the support they required. Records did not show that care was always delivered as planned, such as repositioning support. We found the systems in place to manage people’s medicines were unsafe and risks to people were not always assessed and managed robustly, which placed them at risk of harm.

People were supported by trained staff who had been safely recruited. There were sufficient staff available to provide support to people when they needed it. Systems were in place to help minimise the spread of infections within the home.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People’s consent was sought in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Records showed that people’s nutritional needs and preferences were assessed, and kitchen staff had access to this information. People told us they enjoyed the meals available; they had plenty to eat and drink and there was always a choice of meal.

Feedback regarding the care and support people received was positive. People told us they were well cared for, and that staff were kind, caring and worked in ways that protected their privacy. Staff encouraged people’s independence where possible and systems in place supported people to be involved in decisions regarding their care. Support provided to people at the end of their lives was praised by relatives.

A range of activities were available, and people were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them.

People and their relatives told us the home was well managed and they could raise any complaints or concerns they had with the knowledge they would be listened to, and action would be taken to address the issues.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 7 June 2019). The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for two consecutive inspections.

At the last inspection the provider was found to be in breach of regulations. They completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found that some improvements had been made, but further improvements were still required, and the provider remained in breach of some regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted out by a review of the information we held about this service and to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

We also looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to the management of medicines, risk management, accurate record keeping and the governance of the service at this inspection. Since the last inspection we recognised that the provider had failed to adhere to a condition of their registration. Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to this is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.