The Oaks

What inspectors found

From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 21 January 2025 (assessment visit 23 April 2024). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.

1. Safe

   GGood Good

   At our last inspection In September 2023, we found people were not always safeguarded from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks associated with people's health conditions were not managed effectively. Staff were not always following safe infection, prevention and control practices, and people were not always protected from the risk of infection. People's medicines were also not managed safely. These shortfalls were a breach of regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014.

   At this assessment we found enough improvement had been made and the service was no longer in breach of regulation 12. Improvements had been made to the management of risk, medicine, infection control and people were now safeguarded from abuse and avoidable harm.

   At our last inspection of the service, we found the provider did not ensure there were sufficiently suitably qualified staff on duty at all times. This was a breach of regulation 18 (Staffing) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014. At this assessment, we found enough improvement had been made, and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 18.

2. Effective

   GGood Good

   At our last inspection of the service, we found mealtimes were not planned in a way to ensure they were a relaxed, pleasurable experience. On both days of the inspection the lunch service took a long time to be served and people had become visibly hungry and impatient due to sitting around waiting for a long time. The failure to ensure food and drink provided met people’s individual needs was a breach of regulation 9 (Person-centred care) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We found that enough improvement had been made at this inspection and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 9.

3. Caring

   GGood Good

   At our last inspection of the service, we found people were not always well supported and treated with respect by staff. We observed examples of indifferent, uncaring interactions between staff and people receiving care. Some people were getting 1-2-1 support due to distressed behaviours, yet the staff providing the support did not always interact with people or keep them stimulated. The failure to ensure assessments included all of people’s needs was a breach of regulation 9 (Person-centred care) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

   Following this assessment the registered manager supplied CQC with information relating to activities provided to people living at the home. This included the recruitment of 2 activities coordinators and activities plans for people living at the home. The home had sought information from people about their hobbies, interests and preferences and incorporated these into an activities programme for the home. We found enough improvement had been made, and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 9.

4. Responsive

   GGood Good

   At our last inspection of the service in September 2023, we found people were not always supported as individuals, or in line with their needs and preferences. Most people’s care plans did not contain any information about their life story and/or likes and dislikes which would help staff understand them better. At this assessment, we found the provider had made improvements, records viewed supported people were being treated as individuals. We observed people being treated with dignity and respect by staff.

5. Well-led

   GGood Good

   At our last inspection of the service, we found the service was not well managed. There was a system of audits and quality assurance checks taking place, but they were not effective, as they had not identified all the issues we found with care plans, risk assessments, medicines, infection control and fluid and repositioning records.

   At our last inspection of the service, we found the providers failure to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided was a breach of regulation 17 (Good governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The provider had not conducted investigations into incidents to understand the cause, which would help prevent similar incidents from happening again. Where investigations had been carried out recommendations did not result in sustained improvements across the service.

   At this assessment we found that enough improvement had been made at this inspection and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 17.