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.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable risk assessments and safe medicines management. Infection control arrangements were also found to be satisfactory.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's health, dietary and support needs were assessed and staff worked with other professionals. Some staff training did not yet fully match people's communication and support needs.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were described as kind, caring and patient. People were involved in decisions, and their privacy, dignity and independence were supported.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and staff adapted support to people's needs and preferences. People were supported with activities, relationships and community access.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The management team were visible, approachable and committed to person-centred care. However, governance systems, audits and action planning needed further development.
What inspectors found, April 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, but governance and some staff training needed further work.
This was the first ratings inspection since the home registered. Inspectors visited on 23 March and 3 April 2023. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals, and reviewed care, medicine, staff and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were safe, treated kindly, supported to make choices and encouraged to be independent. People also had personalised care, activities and access to the local community.
There were areas to improve. Management checks and audits were not yet strong enough. Some staff had not been trained in Makaton or in an accredited approach to some restrictive practices. Consent for CCTV also needed to be reviewed.
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough staff and a consistent small team. Staff were safely recruited and relatives said this helped staff know people well.
“People were supported by a consistent small staff team.” from the report
Personalised care
Care was adapted to people's needs, interests and preferences. Staff knew people well and supported them as individuals.
“People received personalised support which met their individual needs and preferences.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives described staff as kind, caring and patient. Inspectors saw positive interactions that supported dignity and privacy.
“People were supported by kind and caring staff. People and relatives told us they felt staff treated people with kindness.” from the report
Independence and community life
People had individual goals and were supported to become more independent. They could take part in activities and access the local community.
“There was a clear emphasis on supporting people's independence and dignity.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored securely, given as prescribed and recorded accurately. Inspectors also found evidence that the home was applying STOMP principles and reducing psychotropic medicines.
“Medicines were managed safely, this included storing them securely. People received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Management checks
needs fixingThe home did not have a clear audit framework or action plan to show how quality, incidents and restrictive practices were being monitored and improved. The provider was asked to review its governance systems.
“Governance systems within the service required further work. There was no clear audit process and framework for ensuring both registered manager and provider level oversight on the quality of the service provided.” from the report
Communication and support training
needs fixingSome people used Makaton, but staff had not received training in it. Some training about approved restrictive practices was also not accredited by the Restraint Reduction Network.
“We identified some further work was required to ensure the training met people's individual needs.” from the report
Positive behaviour support
needs fixingSome people did not always have an embedded positive behaviour support approach when they did not have support from external professionals. The management team said they would review this.
“This meant some people were not always supported with an embedded positive behaviour support approach if they did not have external professional support.” from the report
CCTV consent
needs fixingConsent for CCTV had been sought when people moved into the home but had not been reviewed since. The management team said it would review the use of CCTV and consent immediately.
“Whilst consent had been sought when people first moved into the service this had not been kept under review.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to your audit and action-planning systems since the inspection?
- 02Which staff have now been trained to use Makaton, and how do you check they can support people's communication needs?
- 03What accredited training do staff receive for any restrictive practices used in the home?
- 04How do you now review consent for CCTV, and how are people and relatives involved in those decisions?
- 05How do you make sure each person has an effective positive behaviour support approach?
This was the home's first ratings inspection and covered all five key questions, including infection prevention and control; inspectors reviewed a sample of two care records, three medicine records and two staff files. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 April 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, January 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found reassuring infection-control practices, with some further development signposted.
This was a targeted inspection about infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic. The visit took place on 4 December 2020, and inspection work continued remotely until 15 December 2020.
Inspectors found that staff and residents were being tested, temperature checks were carried out, visitors were restricted safely, and protective equipment was used properly. They also found clear infection-control signs, regular cleaning, and risk assessments for staff and residents.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give a full overall quality rating, or a rated result for Safe. It only reports on the infection-control practices covered by this inspection.
Testing and monitoring
Staff and residents were receiving coronavirus tests, and daily temperature checks were being taken.
“All staff and people who use the service are receiving COVID-19 testing as per government guidelines.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors saw regular cleaning and found the environment clean and personalised. Cleaning records showed that repeat cleaning took place.
“Regular cleaning was evident of the day of the visit. The environment appeared clean and highly personalised.” from the report
Staff training
The provider had arranged extra infection-control and coronavirus training and used quizzes to refresh staff learning.
“The provider had also created their own competency quiz's which they are completing with all staff members to refresh learning.” from the report
Risk assessments
Risk assessments were in place for both staff and residents, covering individual risks.
“Risk assessments were in place for both staff and people who use the service to evidence all parties individual risks have been fully assessed.” from the report
Further development needed
minorThe report does not describe a specific failure, but inspectors signposted the provider to resources to develop its infection-control approach.
“We have also signposted the provider to resources to develop their approach.” from the report
- 01What infection-control changes were made after inspectors signposted resources to the provider?
- 02How are staff and residents tested now, and are temperature checks still carried out?
- 03How does the home manage visits, protective equipment and social distancing?
- 04How often are shared areas cleaned, and can we see the cleaning records?
- 05How are new residents admitted safely and protected from infection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control only; the service was inspected but not rated and the report does not assess the other areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 January 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.
Every inspection of The Oaks
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- April 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 23 March 2020.
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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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.