Background to this inspection
Updated
8 April 2022
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Oak House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had two managers registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
The inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with four people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the provider, registered manager, senior care worker, housekeeper and maintenance man.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medication records and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.
Updated
8 April 2022
About the service
Oak House is a residential care home providing personal care to 16 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 25 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe. Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks were assessed and managed. The provider made changes when concerns were identified so people were safe and risks were reduced.
There were enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs. Staff recruitment was safe because checks were carried out before employment was offered.
People’s medicines were managed in a safe way.
The service was clean and hygienic. Staff followed infection and prevention control systems and government guidance about COVID-19.
The service was person centred. Staff and managers worked together to achieve good outcomes for people. People praised staff and managers and found them open, accessible and approachable.
We have made a recommendation about audits and how they are recorded and shared with staff.
Staff worked with other professionals and authorities, so people received joined up care and support.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (report published 4 January 2019)
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the providers response to a fall and processes for notifying the CQC about incidents. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and well led sections of this full report.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has remained the same. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Oak House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.