Oak Tree Lodge

Oak Tree Lodge provides residential and nursing care for up to 19 older adults, including individuals living with dementia and mental health conditions. The recent inspection highlights a welcoming, well-maintained environment where residents receive attentive, unhurried care from a passionate and knowledgeable team. Relatives and visiting professionals share consistently positive feedback about the inclusive atmosphere, strong communication, and the meaningful involvement of families in daily care decisions. While the home demonstrates high standards across all areas, the inspection also identified specific learning points and areas for administrative refinement that the management has actively addressed.

When evaluating safety, inspectors found that the home maintained a secure environment with thorough recruitment processes, proper health and safety checks, and effective infection prevention and control measures. Medicines were managed safely with robust electronic administration records and trained staff. However, the report notes that some required water management checks had not been completed regularly, prompting the provider to immediately review systems and allocate additional staff time for monitoring.

Regarding effectiveness, residents benefited from detailed, person-centred care plans and comprehensive risk assessments tailored to individual needs, such as fall prevention and skin integrity. Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of personal health indicators and worked effectively alongside visiting healthcare professionals. Regular staff supervision and relevant training ensured the team possessed the right skills and knowledge to support residents properly.

For caring, feedback from families and professionals highlighted an exceptionally warm, supportive, and kind culture. Staff took time to build meaningful relationships and engaged with residents in a respectful, unhurried manner, treating them like family. Relatives expressed deep trust in the team, noting that staff communicated transparently and genuinely valued the emotional well-being of both residents and their loved ones.

In terms of being responsive, care was tailored to individual preferences, backgrounds, and routines, with residents actively participating in decisions regarding their daily lives and home redecoration plans. Relatives felt fully consulted about changes in health needs, and leadership maintained robust systems to investigate incidents and apply lessons learned. Staff also adapted shift patterns and support strategies based on direct feedback from residents and families.

Finally, the well-led category revealed a proactive and supportive management team that fostered a transparent, positive working environment. While audits and quality assurance systems were generally robust, inspectors noted that the service failed to notify the Care Quality Commission of two required safeguarding incidents, which the management team addressed following regulatory guidance. Overall, staff felt exceptionally well-supported through regular check-ins and professional development opportunities, contributing to a stable and continuously improving service.