CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Oakenshaw House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors only looked at staffing pressures and infection prevention and control. They were assured that the home was managing visitors, PPE, testing, hygiene, isolation plans and infection outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This key question was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Oakenshaw House was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 safety.
The home supports up to five people with learning disabilities and does not provide nursing care. Five people were living there when inspectors visited.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 27 January 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether staffing pressures linked to COVID-19 affected people.
Inspectors were assured that the home used personal protective equipment safely, supported testing, maintained hygiene and had plans for isolation and infection outbreaks. Visits were being supported in line with guidance, and non-exempt staff and visiting professionals were vaccinated.
The inspection did not give a new overall rating. The safe key question remained 'Inspected but not rated' because inspectors only looked at staffing and infection control.
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that staff used PPE effectively and safely.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Visits and isolation
The home had arrangements for safe visits, community activities and isolation when needed.
“Clear plans were in place for those who may be required to self-isolate.” from the report
COVID-19 vaccination
The home was meeting the requirement for non-exempt staff and visiting professionals to be vaccinated.
“The service was meeting the requirement to ensure non-exempt staff and visiting professionals were vaccinated against COVID-19.” from the report
Access to healthcare
Staff continued to help people access healthcare, including safe hospital visits when needed.
“Staff continued to support people to access healthcare, and arrangements were in place should people need to attend hospital safely.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you managing staffing pressures now, particularly those linked to COVID-19?
- 02What are your current arrangements for testing staff and people living in the home?
- 03How do you manage visits and protect people when visitors or staff may have an infection?
- 04What support is available if someone needs to self-isolate?
- 05How do you support people to attend hospital or other healthcare appointments safely?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not assess the other key questions and did not give a new overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 February 2022 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 2019
Rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and highly person-centred care in this small home.
This was a planned inspection of a new service. The visit took place over 30 April and 1 May 2019. One inspector spoke with people living there, relatives, staff and professionals, and reviewed care records, staffing, medicines, safety checks and complaints.
The home provides accommodation, care and support for up to five people with a learning disability. Four people lived there at the time. The report says people felt safe, staff were kind and there were enough staff to meet people's needs.
Inspectors found detailed personal support plans, good links with health professionals and strong support for independence. People were helped to develop skills, maintain relationships and take part in activities, education, employment and community life.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the home's first CQC rating, as it had registered in July 2018.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke very positively about staff. Inspectors observed warm relationships and found that privacy, dignity, choice and equality were central to the home's approach.
“People's rights to privacy, dignity, and freedom of choice were firmly embedded into the culture of the home.” from the report
Support for independence
People were helped to learn practical skills and take positive risks. Inspectors found examples of people becoming more confident and independent through cooking, shopping, exercise, work and volunteering.
“People had gained independence and confidence with help from staff.” from the report
Personalised support
Support plans recorded what each person wanted to achieve and how they wanted to be supported. Staff adapted activities and communication to people's individual needs.
“The support plans reflected exactly how the person wanted to be supported and what they wanted to achieve.” from the report
Strong management and teamwork
The provider worked with health and social care professionals and used audits, meetings and learning to improve care. Staff said they felt valued and well supported.
“Records maintained were accessible, completed to a high standard and used for auditing purposes.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What progress has been made with the review of your medicines policies and procedures?
- 02How would you meet my relative's health needs, given that the home does not provide nursing care?
- 03How are risk assessments and positive risk-taking plans updated when a person's needs or goals change?
- 04How would you make sure there are enough suitably trained staff when the registered manager is supporting another service or is away from the home?
- 05What activities, learning opportunities and community links would be available for my relative?
This was a planned inspection of the care home, including the premises and care provided, and it assessed all five CQC questions; the home had not been rated before. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 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.
Every inspection of Oakenshaw House
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- June 2019GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 24 July 2018.
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
85 live-in carers within about an hour of Lancashire
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 £980 to £1,260 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She understands the needs of an elderly person in the early stages of dementia and has treated my mother with great kindness and skill.”
“Thanks to Tracy, Dad was always immaculately dressed and clean, his meals were all home cooked and nutritionally well balanced and his home was always kept really clean and tidy.”
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.