CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Oak Trees (Respite)
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Outstanding
- People were closely involved in decisions about their safety. Staff used positive risk-taking, safeguarding support and accessible information to help people stay safe without unnecessary restrictions.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff assessed people's needs broadly, supported healthy eating and worked with health and social care professionals. Staff received training, supervision and opportunities to gain care qualifications.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- People were treated with compassion, dignity and respect. Staff supported equality, relationships, advocacy and independence, including during difficult or stressful times.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was flexible and based on people's individual needs, interests, relationships and communication preferences. Information was available in easy-read formats and people knew how to complain.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found an open, inclusive and person-centred culture. People, relatives and staff were involved in developing the service, and audits and other checks were used to improve quality.
What inspectors found, January 2020
Oak Trees (Respite) was rated Outstanding; inspectors found exceptionally safe, caring and well-led support, with effective and responsive care rated Good.
This was a planned inspection on 2 and 3 December 2019. The inspection team spoke with people using the service, relatives, staff and social care professionals. They reviewed care, medicine and management records.
The home provided short breaks for people with a learning disability. Inspectors found a strong focus on choice, independence and involvement. People were supported to make decisions, stay safe, build skills and take part in community life.
Safe, caring and well-led were rated Outstanding. Effective and responsive were rated Good. The overall rating improved from Good at the previous inspection, published in June 2017.
People helped to stay safe
Staff involved people in safety decisions and supported them to understand risks. The approach aimed to protect people while preserving their control and independence.
“Staff closely involved people and empowered them to make decisions about their safety.” from the report
Compassionate support
People, relatives and staff described the service as caring and supportive. Inspectors found examples of staff going out of their way to help during crises and other difficult times.
“Without exception people, relatives, and staff told us the service was caring, loving, and supportive.” from the report
Independence and personal goals
People were supported to develop skills, work, study, build friendships and move towards more independent living.
“People were supported to write 'goals' care plans which staff then supported people to achieve.” from the report
Accessible information
The service adapted information and training to help people understand their care, rights, policies and wider issues.
“A wide range of information was provided to people in easy to read formats.” from the report
Strong leadership
Inspectors found a deeply established culture of openness, inclusion and person-centred care. People were involved in how the service was run.
“There was a deeply embedded person centred, open and inclusive ethos in the service.” from the report
End-of-life planning was still developing
minorPeople had basic end-of-life information, while more detailed planning documents had only recently been introduced. Ask how these plans are now used and kept up to date.
“People had basic end of life care information however the service had recently introduced more detailed end of life care planning documents.” from the report
- 01How will you match my relative with their core staff group, and what happens if staff changes are needed?
- 02How will my relative be involved in decisions about safety and risk during their stay?
- 03How will you support my relative with their medicines, including any reviews or possible reductions?
- 04How will you adapt information and communication so my relative can understand their care and choices?
- 05How are the newer end-of-life care plans completed and reviewed if they are needed?
The inspection covered the care home, including its premises and care, and personal care in supported living settings; CQC did not regulate the supported living premises, and not everyone using those settings received personal care. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 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.
What inspectors found, June 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some limits on outings and staff appraisals not yet in place.
The announced inspection took place on 6 April 2017. One inspector spoke with people using the service, staff, managers and health and social care professionals. They also checked care records, medicines records, recruitment files, training records and quality checks.
The home provided short respite stays for up to four people with a learning disability. It also supported people with learning disabilities in their own homes or shared tenancies. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines support, suitable risk assessments and respectful care.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The report also identified some areas still being improved, including staff appraisals, formal assessments of eating and drinking risks, and opportunities for respite guests to go out.
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff to support people safely. Staff were trained in medicines administration and medicines were checked and recorded.
“There were enough staff to support people safely and staff were properly recruited to ensure, as far as practicable, they were suitable to work in care.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated warmly and staff understood their preferences. The home supported people's privacy, dignity and independence.
“Staff interactions with people were warm and friendly.” from the report
Personalised support
Staff knew people's interests, likes, dislikes and goals. Care information was reviewed for each respite stay and updated when people's needs changed.
“People received care that was centred upon their individual needs and preferences.” from the report
Listening and improvement
People, families and professionals were asked for their views. Managers used surveys, meetings and audits to identify and address improvements.
“Systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service people received were effective and identified where and how improvements could be made.” from the report
Safeguarding reporting
needs fixingA professional raised concern that some staff might not recognise or report every potentially abusive incident. Managers took action to reinforce the need to report such incidents.
“We emphasised with the registered manager, the importance of reporting all such incidents to the local authority safeguarding team and the Care Quality Commission.” from the report
Limited outings during respite
needs fixingSome people were not able to go out as often as they wanted. This was linked partly to the loss of the home's vehicle and difficulties using public transport.
“However, some surveys completed by people using the respite service reflected that they were not always able to go out as often as they wished during their stay.” from the report
Staff appraisals
minorAnnual appraisals were not happening at the time of the inspection. The new provider had agreed a procedure and planned to bring them back.
“We noted annual appraisals of staff performance were not happening.” from the report
Eating and drinking assessments
minorManagers planned to introduce a more formal and consistent way to assess the risk of people not eating or drinking enough when supported in their own homes.
“The management team planned to introduce a more formal and consistent assessment in future.” from the report
- 01How do you now make sure every possible safeguarding incident is recognised and reported?
- 02How often can people on respite stays go out, and what transport is available now that the service no longer has a vehicle?
- 03Have annual staff appraisals been reintroduced, and how are staff development needs followed up?
- 04How do you assess and monitor the risk of someone not eating or drinking enough in their own home?
- 05What happens if medicines arrive for a respite stay without the correct labels or original packaging?
This was an announced planned inspection of the respite home and the support provided to people in their own homes, covering all five key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 June 2017 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 Trees (Respite)
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- January 2020Outstandingcurrent ratingup from GoodSafe: OutstandingEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
- June 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 April 2016.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
13 live-in carers within about an hour of Norfolk
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 £990 to £1,120 a week. 9 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
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.