The Oaks Residential Care Home

The Oaks Residential Care Home was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February 2023. The inspection report details findings across several key areas of care provision. This summary aims to provide a concise overview for families considering this home, highlighting the main points from the CQC's assessment. The overall findings indicate significant areas requiring immediate attention to ensure the safety and well-being of residents.

Regarding the safety of the service, inspectors found that the environment was unclean and unhygienic, with risks of infection due to poor standards of cleanliness and infection control. There were also identified risks to residents from unguarded radiators and an unsecured window. Furthermore, staffing levels were insufficient at times, impacting the ability to provide adequate care and maintain safety. Recruitment practices also needed improvement to ensure all necessary checks were completed.

In terms of how effective the care is, the report noted that staff had not received adequate training to meet the specific needs of residents, particularly those living with dementia or with swallowing difficulties. This lack of specific training put residents at risk of avoidable harm. While medicines were generally well-managed, improvements were needed in the protocols for administering 'as needed' medications.

The inspection found that while staff showed compassion and warmth in their interactions, the care provided was not always driven by best practice, and residents' dignity was compromised by the state of the environment. In terms of how responsive the service is, information regarding the management of residents' behaviour and individual needs was not always clearly documented in care plans, and there was a lack of effective systems for reviewing incidents and accidents to prevent future occurrences.

Looking at how well-led the service is, governance and oversight systems were found to be poor. Staff were unclear on the provider's values, and there was no effective system to ensure these values were embedded in practice, leading to low staff morale. Auditing processes were ineffective in identifying shortfalls, and there were no formal processes for reviewing incidents and escalating concerns to external bodies. While the registered manager took immediate action on some issues during the inspection, the overall governance had failed to identify the compromised quality and safety of the service.