• Hospital
  • Independent hospital

Oaks Hospital

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Oaks Place, Mile End Road, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5XR (01206) 752121

Provided and run by:
Ramsay Health Care UK Operations Limited

Report from 19 January 2024 assessment

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Well-led

Good

Updated 29 May 2024

For the well-led key question, we reviewed governance, management, and sustainability. Clear systems were in place for reporting and monitoring risks. Managers tracked performance and implemented actions to ensure a sustainable service. Staff were well-informed on how to raise concerns.

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.

Shared direction and culture

Score: 3

We did not look at Shared direction and culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders

Score: 3

We did not look at Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

Freedom to speak up

Score: 3

We did not look at Freedom to speak up during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion

Score: 3

We did not look at Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

Governance, management and sustainability

Score: 3

Staff we spoke with understood their role and responsibilities. Staff described the senior leadership team to be very visible and approachable. Staff we spoke with had a clear view of the management structure and escalation process if they had concerns. However, staff we spoke with did not know what the vision or strategy of the service was. Following the inspection, the service provided evidence of how this had been communicated Managers can account for the actions, behaviours and performance of staff. The ward manager and theatre manager told us they were proud of their staff and the commitment and dedication they demonstrated to their patients and the service. We observed strong working relationships. Staff had monthly meetings with ward managers, nurses and healthcare assistants, where staff were able to discuss openly any concerns, thoughts and suggestions. All staff we spoke with told us they were happy to work for the service and that they felt well supported by their managers and respected by their peers and other members of the team. Staff we spoke with told us morale had increased since the last inspection. Staff were given opportunities to develop and were supported to undertake training. For example the service had an apprentice programme. There are robust arrangements for the availability, integrity and confidentiality of data, records and data management systems. The service used both electronic and paper records which made reviewing records challenging. However, the service told us they had plans to move to a completely electronic system. The service used an electronic auditing system which all managers had access to. This allowed managers to collect and monitor data.

Leaders told us they held a strategy day every quarter which reflected on the previous months and discussed short, medium and long term plans. We reviewed some of the minutes of monthly team meetings, which were completed to a good standard and which stated an accurate reflection of the topics discussed and clear action points. The service had a governance reporting framework in place, which indicated the committees and frequency of each committee meeting. The service had a number of governance committees in place, including the medical advisory committee (MAC), clinical standard and oversight committee and clinical governance committee. Leaders told us all the committee agendas would include mandatory training as a discussion topic. The senior leadership meetings review the latest learning and development reports to identify any areas for improvement. The senior leadership team frequently met with the trainers who would then join the daily huddles to communicate key messages. We were told all heads of department have a training compliance tracker to assist with keeping up to date with training compliance. This has proven to improve mandatory training compliance.

Partnerships and communities

Score: 3

We did not look at Partnerships and communities during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

Learning, improvement and innovation

Score: 3

We did not look at Learning, improvement and innovation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.