CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Oaks
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, August 2021
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care, with some building work still under way.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 8 and 12 July 2021. It followed concerns about the health and safety of people living at the home. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led. Both were rated Good.
Inspectors spoke with people, a relative, staff and a health professional. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff recruitment files and management records. They found enough staff, suitable safeguarding arrangements, safe medicines practice and staff who understood people's needs.
The home had a positive and respectful culture. People were supported to make choices and take part in decisions about their care. Some maintenance work was under way, including work to door frames, radiators and the boiler.
The overall rating stayed Good. Ratings for the other questions were not checked during this focused inspection and previous ratings were used when calculating the overall rating.
Enough staff
Inspectors found there were enough staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. Staff who knew people well worked alongside newer staff.
“There was enough staff to support people's needs and keep people safe.” from the report
Positive relationships
Staff were described as kind and respectful. Inspectors observed people engaging positively with staff.
“We observed positive interactions between people and staff, with people engaging with staff.” from the report
Safe support
Care plans and risk assessments gave staff guidance about people's needs, including during anxiety, distress and behaviours that may challenge.
“There were appropriate care plans, risk assessments and guidance in place for staff to be able to support people safely.” from the report
People's choices
People were supported to make decisions about their care and how they spent their time. They were also involved in decisions about their home.
“People were involved in decisions about their care, and were encouraged to speak with the managers and staff when they wanted so their views were listened to.” from the report
Learning from incidents
Staff could discuss incidents with managers, and lessons were shared and added to care plans and risk assessments where needed.
“This information was shared with all staff and embedded into people's care plans and risk assessments.” from the report
Maintenance work
minorThe provider had identified parts of the building that needed further maintenance to reduce infection risks. Work on door frames, radiators and the boiler was taking place during the inspection.
“The provider had already identified some areas of the home required further maintenance to ensure the risk of spread of infection was further reduced.” from the report
- 01Has the work to replace and paint the door frames and radiators been completed?
- 02Has the boiler been replaced, and are there any remaining maintenance issues?
- 03How are positive behaviour support plans reviewed when a person's needs change?
- 04How will you check that medicines remain safely managed and staff remain competent?
- 05What were the previous ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive, which were not inspected during this visit?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other key questions were not inspected and previous comprehensive inspection ratings were used to calculate the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 August 2021 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, March 2018
Rated Good overall, with kind and person-centred care, but the latest rating was not displayed properly until inspectors raised it.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 9 January 2018. They observed care, spoke with three people, four care staff and managers, and reviewed care records, complaints, incidents, meetings and quality checks.
People said they felt safe and were supported by enough staff. Inspectors found that staff understood people's needs, medicines were recorded, care plans reflected people's choices, and people were supported with health appointments, meals and activities.
People described staff as respectful and supportive. They were helped to make choices, stay independent and maintain family and community links. The home had systems to monitor quality and respond to concerns.
All five areas were rated Good, and the overall rating stayed Good, as it had been at the previous inspection in October 2015. However, the home breached the rule requiring its latest CQC rating to be displayed inside the home. The rating was displayed before inspectors left.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt secure and could raise concerns. Staff knew how to report possible abuse and how to manage risks without unnecessary restrictions.
“People told us staff helped keep them safe and people felt secure in their home and could raise any concerns they may have.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were involved in decisions about their care, meals and activities. Staff supported people to do things for themselves and respected their choices.
“Staff empowered people to make their own decisions and often refer a question to people so they were absolutely sure about a decision or choice they were making” from the report
Respectful care
Inspectors found staff knew people well and treated them with dignity. People could have privacy in their rooms and staff asked before entering.
“People received care and support from staff who respected their privacy and people we spoke with felt the level of privacy was good.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's needs, preferences and changes. Key workers and regular reviews helped people influence the support they received.
“The records showed people's choices and decisions about any that was working well or any change they wanted for the coming month.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The management team used audits and reviews of accidents and incidents to identify improvements and reduce risks.
“Accidents and incidents were reported on, analysed and investigated to ensure that lessons were learnt, acted upon and that risks were reduced or eliminated where possible.” from the report
CQC rating not displayed inside
needs fixingThe latest rating was visible on the website but was not clearly displayed inside the home when inspectors arrived. The home put this right before the inspection ended.
“However a copy of the last report was available in a box alongside other information in the entrance hall.” from the report
- 01How will you make sure the latest CQC rating remains clearly displayed inside the home?
- 02How are medicines given as needed recorded, and how do you check staff remain competent to administer them?
- 03How will you involve my relative in monthly care reviews, meal planning and changes to activities?
- 04How do you identify and review risks while avoiding unnecessary restrictions on people's choices?
- 05How are accidents, incidents and audit findings turned into changes in care?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, using observations, discussions and records, and the ratings from the previous inspection were reviewed. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 March 2018 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 The Oaks
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- August 2021Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Worcestershire
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. 85 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.