Oak House

Oak House is a care home registered to provide personal care for a maximum of 26 people. Some people living at the service were living with dementia. There were 22 people living at the service at the time of our assessment visit.

At our previous assessment, the service was rated as Requires Improvement. At this assessment, we found the overall rating of the service remained as Requires Improvement.

The provider had not ensured there was a fully effective governance system in place. Whilst we identified some improvements from our last assessment, we found the absence of effective governance systems and processes had not ensured all risks were identified or mitigated.

We found examples where care records had not been completed following admission, and some records were inaccurate. Some environmental issues relating to fire safety had not been identified. Areas of medicines management were not consistent and documents relating to people’s capacity to make decisions were not always completed. Whilst we found no impact to people, the absence of effective oversight by the provider and registered manager placed people at risk.

Staff understood safeguarding processes and the service management had escalated concerns where required. There were sufficient staff on duty to meet people’s needs and staff were recruited safely. Infection control processes were monitored and there were systems to record accidents and incidents; however, improvements were needed to ensure learning from events was undertaken.

Staff were positive about their employment and spoke highly of the management and provider level support they received. Staff received an induction, training, supervision and appraisal to enable them to meet people’s needs. People’s needs relating to eating and drinking were monitored, but improvements were needed in the oversight of this.

People were cared for respectfully and treated as individuals. Staff communication with people was positive and relatives generally spoke highly of the service provided. There were systems and processes to ensure the service was responsive to people’s needs. We received some less positive feedback about staff communicating in their native language when in communal areas of the service. This information was communicated to the registered manager.

There was a vision for the service. The service worked well with other healthcare professionals, and the registered manager told us there were links in place with local schools and places of worship.

The provider was previously in breach of legal regulations in relation to Need for consent, Safe care and treatment, Safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment and Good governance. There was also a breach relating to failing to send statutory notifications as required by law.

Whilst some improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of some of these regulations, sufficient improvements had not been made in the regulations relating to Safe care and treatment and Good governance. The provider remains in breach of these regulations.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.