Little Oaks Residential Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

Learning from events or incidents were communicated to staff on an individual basis and at staff meetings.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

Staff supported people when they moved between services. This had included liaising with specialist nurses in hospital and supporting a person during their admission. One relative commented on the excellent communication the staff had with them when a person was receiving care and support from a range of professionals.

Each person had a hospital passport which gave details about the support the person would need if they were in a hospital setting.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

People looked comfortable and relaxed with the staff who supported them and with each other. People said they felt safe. Staff supported people to be safe online and in the community. One person said, “They have talked to me about cyber security, and I understand it.” Another person told us, “I like it here and the staff are all nice. I like how the staff treat me.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

People told us how risk assessments supported them to be independent with minimum risk. One person told us about the support they had received to enable them to use public transport and local taxis. This person said, “Good safety training.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

The provider had systems in place to make sure the building was safe and suitable for the people who lived there. There were regular tests of fire detecting equipment and outside contractors were employed to carry out checks on the electrical and gas installations within the property.

Some areas of the home would benefit from redecoration and refurbishment. The registered manager told us they were in the process of securing quotes for decorating work to be carried out.

People were supported by enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support and supervision. Staff were safely recruited which helped to minimise risks to people.

There was a stable staff team who knew people well. People were very happy with the staff who supported them. Throughout our visits we observed warm and affectionate interactions between people and staff. One relative commented about staff and the registered manager. They said, “They go above and beyond.”

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

Information about infection control measures such as hand washing was made available to people in easy read formats. This helped to support people with good infection prevention measures. One person said, “The home is lovely and clean.”

People received their medicines safely as prescribed for them.

We saw that medicines were given in a safe way, with staff taking time with people to make sure their medicines were taken correctly.

People received their medicines in the way prescribed for them.

Arrangements were in place to allow people to access annual medication reviews.

There were safe arrangements for when people needed to take medicines with them out of the service.