CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Little Oaks Residential Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, June 2019
Rated Good in all areas; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some communal areas needing improvement.
This was an unannounced, planned inspection on 21 May 2019. One inspector met all eight people living at the home, spoke with five people and three staff, observed care and checked care plans, medicines records, staff records and safety records.
The inspectors found people were safe, treated with kindness and involved in decisions about their care. Staff supported people to be independent, follow their own routines and take part in activities, work and community life.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Some communal areas contained medicine and filing cabinets and needed redecoration, but the provider had started to address these issues.
Kind relationships
People appeared relaxed with staff and had trusting relationships. Inspectors saw warm interactions, friendly conversation and laughter.
“There was a stable staff team and people had built trusting relationships with staff who supported them.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were supported to make everyday choices, follow their own routines and take reasonable risks. Some people worked, attended day services or went out independently.
“People were encouraged to be independent and to follow their own routines and interests.” from the report
Accessible communication
Care plans and other information used pictures and easy-to-understand language where needed. This helped people take part in decisions and understand their rights.
“All information in the home was provided in formats which supported people to understand their care and wider issues.” from the report
Visible management
The manager was present during the inspection and regularly checked the quality of care. Staff said they could raise concerns and suggestions.
“The registered manager was very visible in the home which enabled them to constantly monitor standards and address any shortfalls” from the report
Communal storage
minorMedicine cabinets and staff filing cabinets were in communal areas. This made those areas less homely and meant medicines were not yet stored in individual bedroom cabinets.
“At the time of the inspection all medicines were securely stored in a communal area of the house which did not promote a homely environment.” from the report
Redecoration needed
minorThe home was comfortable, but some areas needed redecoration. Further work was planned for the month after the inspection.
“People lived in a home which was comfortable and homely, but some areas required redecoration.” from the report
Older building design
minorThe home had not originally been designed around current guidance for ordinary community living. Inspectors said staff were nevertheless putting the related principles into everyday support.
“The service had been opened some years ago and therefore had not been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support” from the report
- 01Have the individual medicine cabinets now been installed in people's rooms?
- 02Has the planned redecoration of the communal areas been completed?
- 03How will my relative be supported to make choices and develop independence safely?
- 04How will information about my relative's communication needs be shared with all staff?
- 05How are people and families involved in reviewing care plans and making changes to the home?
This was a planned, unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall quality and safety of the care and premises. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 June 2019 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, November 2016
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring and personalised support, with improvements since the previous inspection.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 26 October 2016. One inspector met the manager and staff, spoke with or observed all eight people, and checked care plans, medicines, staffing, recruitment, training, complaints and quality records.
The inspectors found enough trained staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. Medicines were managed safely. People were treated with kindness, involved in decisions, supported to stay healthy, and helped to take part in work, clubs, outings and family life.
The service had previously required improvements because of concerns about safeguarding, staff training, mental capacity and legal applications where people's liberty might be restricted. The provider had acted on these concerns, so all five areas and the overall service were rated Good.
Improved safety support
Staff had received positive behaviour support training and had clearer guidance for helping people who became upset or angry. Inspectors saw staff respond calmly and help someone settle quickly.
“At this inspection we found the service had taken a range of actions to ensure staff knew how to support people to keep them safe.” from the report
Personalised care
People were involved in their care plans and daily choices. Information was adapted with photographs, signs and symbols to help people understand it.
“Each person had been involved and consulted in an assessment and regular reviews of their needs.” from the report
Kind relationships
Inspectors saw staff offering reassurance, conversation, touch and humour. Staff knew what people enjoyed and supported them in ways that suited their communication and personalities.
“During our inspection we saw people being supported by staff who were kind, attentive and caring.” from the report
Active lives
People were supported to have jobs, attend day centres and clubs, go on holidays and outings, and keep in touch with friends and relatives.
“People had jobs, attended days centres and clubs and were active members of the local community.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored and administered by trained staff. Records showed what had been given, and there was a clear record of medicines entering and leaving the home.
“There was a clear audit trail of all medicines entering and leaving the home.” from the report
Supervision was not regular enough
needs fixingThe manager said staff supervision had not been as regular as they wanted. A new plan was being introduced for formal supervision about every three months.
“The registered manager told us they had provided supervision to staff but this had not been as regular as they would have liked.” from the report
Some legal authorisations were still pending
needs fixingApplications had been submitted for people whose liberty might be restricted, but they were still waiting for the local authority to complete them at the time of inspection.
“applications had been submitted to the local authority and remained on their waiting list for completion.” from the report
- 01What is the current position of any applications for people whose liberty may be restricted?
- 02How often do staff now receive formal supervision, and when was the last supervision completed?
- 03How will you make sure staff continue to follow each person's positive behaviour support plan?
- 04How are people and relatives involved in reviewing care plans and making changes?
- 05How do you check that staffing levels still match people's changing needs, including overnight support?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall quality of the service, covering all five areas and checking whether improvements had been made since the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 November 2016 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Little Oaks Residential Care Home
3 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- June 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Little Oaks Residential Care Home →
- November 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Little Oaks Residential Care Home →
- January 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 January 2011.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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76 live-in carers within about two hours of Somerset
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £1,020 to £1,370 a week. 62 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
“She was not phased by anything, she was adaptable, kind & gave us complete confidence to go away & not worry about a thing!”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.