CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Oaklands
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found suitable staffing, recruitment, risk management, medicines systems and infection control, although an issue with unguarded radiators was identified and fixed.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- This key question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The service had stable management, effective quality checks and an open culture. People, relatives, staff and professionals were involved and communication was described positively.
What inspectors found, November 2023
Oaklands was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with one radiator safety issue fixed during the inspection.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 19 October 2023. One inspector visited, while another contacted relatives and professionals. Inspectors spoke with people and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicines, recruitment, health and safety and management records.
People were supported to be independent, make choices and take part in social activities. Inspectors found kind care, enough staff, suitable training and good support for people's health, medicines and emotional needs. Relatives and professionals gave positive feedback.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. This inspection directly assessed those areas. Ratings for the other key questions were carried over from the previous inspection, and the overall rating remained Good.
Promoting independence
Staff supported people to use their strengths and do as much as possible for themselves. People had choices about daily life, activities and social events.
“Staff supported people's strengths and promoted what they could do for themselves.” from the report
Active lives
People were supported to stay busy and take part in activities and social events that mattered to them.
“People were supported to be busy and to have active lives that included life activities and social events.” from the report
Kind and individual care
Inspectors saw kind interactions. Staff knew people's needs, including what caused anxiety and how to support people when distressed.
“Staff knew people well and responded to all their individual needs.” from the report
Staffing and training
There were enough staff, with flexible arrangements for people's individual needs and activities. Staff training included autism and positive behavioural support.
“There were enough staff to meet people's needs and wishes.” from the report
Open management
Managers were approachable and communication with relatives and professionals was positive. Quality systems were used to identify and address issues.
“The registered manager had established a positive and inclusive environment where people and staff felt valued and listened to.” from the report
Unguarded radiators
minorInspectors found that some radiators had not been guarded. The management team reviewed this and put guards in place during the inspection.
“radiators that had not been guarded were reviewed and guarded to ensure people's safety.” from the report
- 01What checks are now in place to make sure all radiators remain guarded?
- 02How will you support my relative to stay independent while managing any risks?
- 03How are medicines given on an 'as and when required' basis recorded and reviewed?
- 04How will my relative be supported to take part in activities, outings and social events?
- 05What were the ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive at the previous inspection, and are any improvements planned in those areas?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, including infection prevention and control; the other key question ratings were carried over from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 November 2023 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, December 2016
Oaklands was rated Good overall, with Outstanding care and strong support for people's independence.
Inspectors carried out an announced inspection on 28 October 2016. One inspector spoke with three people living at the home, two relatives, two care staff and the registered manager. They reviewed all four people's care records, medicine records, accident logs, audits, policies and other information.
The inspectors found enough trained staff, safe recruitment, safeguarding arrangements, risk assessments and medicine procedures. People's health needs were met, and staff supported people to make choices, cook, take part in activities and become more independent.
Care was rated Outstanding because staff were kind, respectful and understood how each person communicated and wanted to be supported. The home was rated Good for safe, effective, responsive and well-led care. The previous inspection in February 2014 found the areas inspected to be fully compliant.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors found exceptionally strong relationships between people and staff. Staff understood people's individual needs and treated them with respect and dignity.
“People had an excellent relationship with the staff. People were supported by staff who were very kind and caring and treated them with respect and dignity.” from the report
Support for independence
People were encouraged to make choices, carry out daily tasks and work towards personal goals. Staff offered support without taking over.
“People were encouraged to lead independent lives and care and support was tailored to enable people to do so.” from the report
Personal communication
The home used signs, symbols, pictures and other individual methods to help people understand their care and take part in decisions.
“Innovative methods were used to communicate with people and there were individualised processes in place to help people understand and to contribute to, decisions about the care.” from the report
Well-trained staff
Staff received a detailed induction, ongoing training and regular supervision. Inspectors found that staff understood how to support the people living at the home.
“Staff received on-going, comprehensive training designed to equip them with the appropriate skills for their role and to keep them up to date with changes in best practice guidelines.” from the report
Personalised activities and goals
People were supported to choose activities and pursue ambitions such as education, holidays, using public transport and managing money.
“We saw other numerous innovative examples of person centred care and support which enabled people to achieve their goals and ambitions.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and review the level of support my relative needs with medicines, including whether they can manage some or all of them independently?
- 02What communication methods would you use if my relative finds spoken or written information difficult to understand?
- 03How would you support my relative to choose activities, use the local community and work towards their own goals?
- 04How often would my relative's care plan and health needs be reviewed, and how would they be involved?
- 05How would you make sure there are enough familiar staff if people's needs change or staff are absent?
This was an announced inspection of the overall service, covering all five CQC questions; inspectors spoke with three people and reviewed the care records for all four people living at the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 December 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. The report was longer than we could read in one go; the later sections may not be reflected.
Every inspection of Oaklands
2 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 November 2010.
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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.