CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Oak Lodge
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home had measures to prevent and control infection. They found appropriate arrangements for visitors, social distancing, admissions, personal protective equipment, testing, hygiene and managing outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Outstanding
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, October 2020
Oak Lodge was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control measures were in place.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 21 August 2020. It looked at infection prevention and control measures as part of a review during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors found that the home was preventing visitors from catching and spreading infections. They were also assured about shielding, social distancing, safe admissions, personal protective equipment, testing, hygiene, outbreak management and the infection control policy.
Inspectors also found good practice in the visiting arrangements and activities. The home was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Safer visiting
The home created a visiting area separated by a Perspex wall, with outside access for families. It provided a warm and comfortable place for visits.
“This area provided people with comfortable chairs and a visiting area in the warmth for colder days or when people were unwell.” from the report
Activities and contact
The home offered a range of activities intended to keep people involved and reduce isolation, including entertainment, contact with local children and activities linked to events.
“A wide variety of activities for people to keep them involved and lift the feelings of isolation” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control arrangements were being followed, including the safe use of personal protective equipment.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01Are the visiting arrangements with the Perspex wall still in place, and how are visits managed now?
- 02How does the home currently provide and check personal protective equipment for staff?
- 03How are people admitted safely and tested for infection?
- 04How does the home prevent and manage infection outbreaks?
- 05What activities and contact with families or the local community are available now?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures only; the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 October 2020 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, January 2020
Rated Outstanding; inspectors found exceptionally effective, caring and well-led support, with safe and responsive care rated Good.
Inspectors visited without warning on 10, 15 and 16 October 2019. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals. They observed care, reviewed the home and checked care, medicines, staffing and management records.
The home was calm, friendly and welcoming. Inspectors found exceptionally kind staff who respected people's dignity, choices and independence. Care was personalised and helped people maintain their health, wellbeing and quality of life.
The home had strong systems for medicines, risk management, infection control and learning from incidents. It offered varied activities, links with the community and good support for people and families at the end of life.
The overall rating was Outstanding. Effective, Caring and Well-led were also Outstanding. Safe and Responsive were rated Good. These ratings were unchanged from the previous inspection published on 14 March 2017.
Kind and respectful care
Staff were exceptionally kind, compassionate and patient. They promoted dignity, independence and happiness in everyday care.
“Staff were exceptionally kind, compassionate and patient in their approach.” from the report
Improved mobility
The home identified a gap in mobility support and recruited a physiotherapist. Inspectors saw examples of people becoming more independent after exercises and therapy.
“The provider had recruited a physiotherapist and had adapted an area in one of the lounges to be used as a gym.” from the report
Safe medicines support
The electronic prescribing system used barcode scanners and electronic medicines records. Records showed people consistently received medicines as prescribed.
“Records showed people consistently received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Personalised activities
There were varied activities, one-to-one support and outings. Staff worked hard to help people make friends and avoid social isolation.
“Staff went the extra mile to support people to prevent social isolation.” from the report
Strong leadership
Inspectors found clear responsibilities, regular audits and improvement plans. People, relatives and staff were involved in shaping the home.
“There were extremely robust measures in place to monitor quality, safety and experience of people within the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and support my relative's mobility when they first move in or return from hospital?
- 02How would you support my relative if they have dementia or find group activities difficult?
- 03How would you involve our family in decisions about care, including decisions about capacity and restrictions on freedom?
- 04How do you record and check medicines, including medicines prescribed to be taken only when needed?
- 05How would you discuss and provide end of life care if my relative wished to remain at the home?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including care, nursing, premises, records, staff and management. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 January 2020 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 Oak Lodge
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Outstanding rating throughout.
- October 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- January 2020Outstandingstayed OutstandingSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
- March 2017OutstandingSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 5 June 2013.
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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26 live-in carers within about an hour of Hampshire
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 £1,260 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
“I cannot recommend Prisca highly enough, she is one in a million.”
“He stayed with her throughout the pandemic, refusing to visit his own family, who lived nearby, to reduce the risk of infection.”
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.