More cash for Wirral care providers (From Wirral Globe)

More cash for Wirral care providers

1:52pm Thursday 11th October 2012 in News By Leigh Marles

Graham Hodkinson, director of adult social care

AN INCREASE in fees paid to independent providers of residential and nursing home care in Wirral looks set to be agreed.

The proposed annual increase has been developed to help homes meet standards required by watchdog the Care Quality Commission.

There are 111 care homes in the borough and, according to a statement from the council today, the proposal will help them “invest appropriately in meeting standards and providing appropriate levels of staffing.”

A report to next week’s cabinet meeting says it's critical to strike the correct balance between cost and quality to ensure standards are maintained and “best value” achieved.

Graham Hodkinson, director of adult social care, said: ‘This investment demonstrates the council’s commitment to supporting people that need residential care.

“It will enable residential care providers to meet essential standards and to provide care with dignity for the people who need it."

Several Wirral homes have come under fire following inspections by the Care Quality Commission.

In July, Mother Redcaps in Wallasey became the fifth this year to fail to meet required standards.

The CQC issued its management with a formal warning after finding the 51-bed home was failing to comply with Government regulations covering management of medicines.

But Redcaps was just the latest in a line of non-compliance.

In January, inspectors found Kingsley House, New Brighton, had failed to meet seven Government quality standards.

In March, the commission inspected Seabank House, Wallasey, and found people who used the service may have been "at risk" from staff who were not appropriately trained or appraised.

In April, Victoria House, also in Wallasey, was found to have not safeguarded against the risk of abuse. The commission was also concerned about residents' welfare, management of medicines and how care was monitored.

And in June, an inspection of the Anchorage Nursing Home in Hoylake found clients’ medical records were not fully compliant.