The Oaks

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

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.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People and their relatives were confident that the care provided was person centred and regular reviews of people's care took place.

One member of staff told us, “[Person] has a hearing problem; you have to go close to [person] to speak with them. [Person] can get agitated if you don’t hear properly. We [staff] can’t always understand [person], so we give [person] a pen and paper to communicate.” One member of staff said, "Together with the people we support, we are a small group, it' becomes like we are part of their family." One member of staff told us, "We all want what’s best for the people we work with." One member of staff said, “You can tell by the smile on the resident’s face that they are pleased to see you and that you become an important part of their day.”

Throughout our assessment we observed positive and caring interactions between people and staff. Staff spent time with people providing support and showing care and concern for their well-being. Staff were very knowledgeable about people's individual routines, personalities and likes and dislikes. Staff were aware of the importance of providing person centred care and offering people choice in relation to their care and support and how they liked to live their lives. People appeared comfortable in the presence of staff and knew them well.

People told us that their diverse and individual needs were met.

The registered manager told us people had access to healthcare services. These services included visiting chiropodists, dentists, and opticians. A GP visited the service weekly to support people with their medical needs. A staff member told us, “We have a good working relationship with the GP, if we have concerns about people’s health, we contact the practice, and they respond immediately. When the GP visits people we have everything ready for them. The registered manager told us that a tissue viability nurse attended the service and provided training to nursing staff on wound care and a speech and language therapist had trained staff on dysphagia. They also worked closely with local authority dementia teams who provided staff with training on dementia awareness. Where they made referrals to these teams the professional’s had developed care and support plans to meet peoples care needs. The registered manager told us the community mental health team (CMHT) regularly visited people using the service to review their needs. As part of the review the CMHT updated peoples care plans and risk assessments.

A GP visited the service on weekly on a Monday to support people with their health care needs. We spoke with the GP; they told us there were no issues with the service. They said, “It’s the most organised the home I come to. There is good communication with the nurses. They have a list of patients they want me to see, and they have the records ready when I come. The nurses are competent, they stay on their unit which helps with consistency of care."

People had access to healthcare services when they needed them. A GP visited the service on a weekly basis to support people with their medical needs.

People had access to information in formats that met their needs. Information was displayed in pictures and large print throughout the service. For example, the providers complaints procedure and pictorial menus. There was also signage to aid people with their orientation. We also saw a large television screen at the entrance to the service. This included information for people using the service, relatives, and staff. Information displayed included, pictures of breakfast, lunch and dinner, planned activities such as a coffee morning and baking and ‘you said we did’ actions.

The registered manager told us that people's communication and sensory needs were assessed and documented in their plan of care to ensure staff had the relevant information on how best to communicate and support them.

Since 2016 all organisations that provide publicly funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard. The Accessible Information Standard tells organisations what they have to do to help ensure people with a disability or sensory loss, and in some circumstances, their carers, get information in a way they can understand it. It also says that people should get the support they need in relation to communication. People's communication needs were assessed and included in their care records. This ensured staff knew how best to communicate with people respectfully and effectively. The registered manager told us if people required information in large print, a different language, audio, or visual aids this would be made available to them.

People told us they knew how to raise concerns and make complaints if they needed to. One person told us they had made a complaint and it had been resolved to their satisfaction. People told us there were residents’ meetings however some people we spoke with told us they did not always attend. One person said, “There are meetings, but I don’t want to go.” Another person told us, “There are meetings, but I haven’t been.” A relative told us, “I have been to a few meetings, and they were very constructive, I think the improvement in staff numbers is down to our opinions.” People and their relatives told us they were involved in planning and managing their needs and risks.

The registered manager told us they held regular monthly performance meetings with the provider. Areas discussed included people’s dining experience, complaints and residents and relative’s meetings. These included action plans to make further improvements at the service.

Regular residents and relatives’ meetings were held. Issues discussed at the May 2024 meeting included refurbishment at the home and the garden, planning for activities, improving menus and people’s mealtime experience, the chef had made some taster portions of some of the new foods and invited everyone to try. There was very positive feedback on these. People’s concerns and complaints were listened to, responded to and used to improve the quality of care. There were systems in place to manage and respond to complaints appropriately in line with the provider’s policy. The provider had up to date policies and procedures in place for managing complaints and these were accessible to staff, people and their relatives and displayed within communal areas throughout the service. There were robust monitoring systems in place and complaints were appropriately recorded. There was evidence that complaints had been responded to and actioned appropriately.

People told us they had access to care, support and treatment they need when they needed it.

The registered manager told us people had access to healthcare services. These services included visiting chiropodists, dentists, and opticians. A GP visited the home on a weekly basis to support people with their medical needs. A staff member told us, “We have a good working relationship with the GP, if we have concerns about people’s health, we contact the practice, and they respond immediately. When the GP visits people we have everything ready for them." The registered manager told us that a tissue viability nurse attended the service and provided training to nursing staff on wound care and a speech and language therapist had trained staff on dysphagia. They also worked closely with local authority dementia teams who provided staff with training on dementia awareness. Where they made referrals to these teams the professional’s had developed care and support plans to meet peoples care needs. The registered manager told us the community mental health team (CMHT) regularly visited people using the service to review their needs. As part of the review the CMHT updated peoples care plans and risk assessments.

A GP visited the service on Mondays to support people with their health care needs. We spoke with the GP; they told us they found no issues with the service. They said, “It’s the most organised the home I come to. There is good communication with the nurses. They have a list of patients they want me to see, and they have the records ready when I come. The nurses are competent, they stay on their unit which helps with consistency of care."

The service was subject to a local authority provider concerns process with an embargo on new placements. An officer from the local authority told us the service had been making improvements supported by their quality assurance team. They had agreed to lift the embargo with a phased introduction for new admissions. They told us they would be testing the admission process once it starts to ensure improvements were made in this area.

Peoples care, and support needs were assessed before they moved into the service. Assessments covered all aspects of individuals care and support such as, mobility and moving and handling, nutrition and hydration, personal care, communication, mental health and medicines management amongst others. People told us they had access to health care professionals when they needed them. One person told us, “The GP and chiropodist are organised for me.” Another person told us, “If I need to see a health professional, they sort it out.”

The registered manager told us people had access to healthcare services and support. These services included visiting chiropodists, dentists, and opticians. A GP visited the service on a weekly basis to support people with their medical needs. A staff member told us, “We have a good working relationship with the GP, if we have concerns about people’s health, we contact the practice, and they respond immediately. When the GP visits people we have everything ready for them. The registered manager told us that a tissue viability nurse attended the service and provided training nursing staff on wound care and a speech and language therapist had trained staff on dysphagia. They also worked closely with local authority dementia teams who provided staff with training on dementia awareness. Where staff made referrals to these teams the professional’s had developed care and support plans to meet peoples care needs. The registered manager told us the community mental health team (CMHT) regularly visited people using the service to review their needs. As part of the review the CMHT updated people’s care plans and risk assessments.

Care plans were developed and documented within the providers electronic care planning system in line with people's assessed needs. Care plans documented people’s assessed needs so staff could provide person centred care. People were consulted and supported to make choices and decisions for themselves. Staff promoted people's rights and worked within the principles of the MCA to ensure these were upheld.

People were consulted and supported to make choices and decisions for themselves.

The registered manager told us they worked with people’s relatives, the GP and the local hospice to provide people with end-of-life care and support when it was required.

People were supported at the end of their life. People and their relatives where appropriate, were consulted and encouraged to discuss their advanced end of life needs and wishes. When required care plans were implemented to reflect people’s wishes for their end-of-life care. These ensured staff were aware of people’s wishes and needs at the appropriate time.