CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Uplands at Oxon
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe and risks such as falls, poor nutrition, skin damage and infection were assessed. Medicines were stored safely and given by trained staff.
- Effective?
- Good
- People received enough food and drink, staff were trained, and healthcare professionals were involved when needed. Staff supported people to make choices and followed mental capacity requirements.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and relatives described staff as kind and respectful. People were involved in decisions about their care and supported to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans recorded people's needs, preferences, cultural and religious choices. The home supported contact with relatives, provided activities across seven days and had a complaints process.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found better audits and checks, good staff morale and clear responsibilities. The manager sought people's views and worked with health and social care professionals.
What inspectors found, November 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements since the previous inspection.
This was an unannounced follow-up inspection on 26 October 2022. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives and staff. They reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files, training records and health and safety records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that people felt safe, received medicines on time, had enough food and drink, and were supported by trained staff.
People described staff as kind and respectful. Inspectors found that care was planned around people's wishes, communication needs and relationships. Activities were provided throughout the week, and complaints systems were in place.
The previous inspection in July 2020 found the home Requires Improvement and breaches of regulations. This inspection found that improvements had been made and the home was no longer in breach.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe and staff knew how to recognise and report possible abuse. Risks were assessed and plans were in place to reduce them.
“People told us they felt safe living at the home and with the staff who supported them.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors observed gentle, respectful and unhurried support.
“Staff interactions with people were kind and respectful. Staff supported people in a gentle and unhurried manner.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's needs, preferences, communication requirements and cultural or religious choices. People were offered choices about their daily lives.
“People's care plans reflected their needs and preferences.” from the report
Improvements were made
The provider acted on the previous inspection findings. Inspectors found that risks, medicines, mealtimes and quality checks were being managed more effectively.
“At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.” from the report
Activities and relationships
The home supported people to keep in touch with important people and offered activities across the week, including activities adapted to individual interests.
“Activity staff provided a varied programme of activities covering seven days.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What checks do you now use to make sure medicines are given at the correct time and records remain accurate?
- 02How will you assess and review my relative's risks, including falls, nutrition, hydration and skin care?
- 03How will you support my relative's preferred activities, communication needs, cultural choices and religious beliefs?
- 04How do you involve relatives in care reviews and tell them about changes in their relative's health or medicines?
- 05What improvements from the previous inspection are still being monitored, and how will you know they remain effective?
This was an unannounced follow-up inspection after the previous Requires Improvement rating; infection prevention and control was also checked under Safe, and the report says the overall rating changed to Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 November 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, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found well-established infection control and safe COVID-19 measures.
This was an unannounced targeted inspection on 24 January 2022. It was carried out because of COVID-19 outbreaks and focused on infection prevention and control. Inspectors also asked about staffing pressures.
Inspectors found good practice. The home had established infection control policies, enough protective equipment and hand hygiene products, regular cleaning, and safe arrangements for testing, visiting, vaccinations and admissions.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not give an overall rating or a full rating for the five areas of care. The inspection mainly checked infection prevention and control.
Established infection control
The home had infection control policies and safe systems that inspectors said were well established and embedded.
“The provider had well established infection control and prevention policies, procedures and safe systems of practice in place.” from the report
Staff followed safety procedures
Staff used protective equipment as required and understood the infection control and protective equipment practices expected of them.
“Staff were knowledgeable about the IPC and PPE practices they needed to follow to minimise the risk of and potential spread of infection.” from the report
Cleaning and supplies
The home had enough protective equipment and hand hygiene products. Regular cleaning helped maintain cleanliness.
“Enhanced cleaning took place and there was frequent cleaning of regularly touched surfaces so that the cleanliness of the home was maintained.” from the report
COVID-19 arrangements
Inspectors were assured that testing, visiting and vaccination arrangements met current government guidance.
“The provider had ensured their COVID-19 testing regimes, visiting arrangements and vaccination requirements all met current Government guidance.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures?
- 02How do you check that staff and visiting professionals follow the home's infection control procedures?
- 03How often are frequently touched surfaces cleaned, and how is this recorded?
- 04What are the current arrangements for visiting, testing and admissions if there is an infection outbreak?
- 05What overall CQC ratings apply to the home from earlier inspections, since this visit was not rated?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not provide ratings for the other areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 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.
Every inspection of The Uplands at Oxon
4 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2020Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 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.
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