The Oakes

Updated 10 September 2020

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 5th August 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 10 September 2020

About the service:

The Oakes is a care home providing personal care and accommodation for up to seven people, with learning disabilities and autism. At the time of the inspection seven people were living at the service.

People’s experience of using this service:

The service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live a life as any citizen and The Oakes was exceptional in ensuring this was the case for the people who lived there.

Feedback we received about the service was extremely positive. Staff and the registered manager were held in high regard and spoken about in glowing terms. Relatives told us they would not hesitate to recommend the service to others as in the words of one relative, “It is wonderful, superb; they go above and beyond in every way.” This sentiment was echoed by everyone we spoke with.

The vision and values of the service, which were shared by staff at all levels, reflected best practice principles ensuring people were provided with a wealth of opportunities, choice and control. There was a positive approach to safety and risk which allowed people the freedom to live their life as free from restrictions as possible. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service was dedicated in supporting people to live full and independent lives, challenging the barriers around supporting people with learning disabilities and autism. People's lives were improved through the introduction of new opportunities that encouraged people to be active, engaged and feel part of their local community.

Robust recruitment practices were in place to ensure the suitability of new staff. People were supported by a stable and consistent staff team who regularly went the ‘extra mile’. Staff knew people very well and, as such, had an excellent understanding of their needs and wishes.

Safe systems for the management of medicines were in place. Only staff who had been trained and assessed as competent administered medicines. The service practiced the principles of STOMP which aims to stop the overuse of anti-psychotic medication for people with learning disabilities or mental health conditions.

Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt very well supported. There were a range of mechanisms in place to monitor and support staff to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to provide high quality care and support.

A consistent approach was practiced by staff applying positive behaviour support which had greatly reduced historical incidents of behaviours perceived as challenging. Because of this, people had made significant progress in terms of developing their social skills and behaviours. This had opened the doorway to new experiences for people and promoted their social inclusion.

There was a very homely feel to the service. Care and attention had been paid to make sure people’s personal space reflected their tastes and preferences and any cultural or sensory needs. Outside space had also been adapted and personalised to reflect people’s interests and allow people to have time alone if needed.

Staff were exceptionally kind and caring and knew what was important and mattered to people. People’s hopes and dreams were known and respected by staff who went above and beyond to make them a reality. Staff formed positive, trusting relationships with people which helped people develop the confidence and independence to achieve their goals and live their life as they chose.

The management and staff team were committed to providing a service that met people’s individual needs and aspirations. The culture of the service was truly person-centred and empowering. Care and support was completely focused upon what each person wanted to do and people were consistently involved and included in planning their care and support.

The service was extremely well-led by a long-standing registered manager who provided an exemplary role model to staff. Respect for equality and diversity was fully embedded within the service and, without exception, people were supported and empowered to follow their individual lifestyle choices.

Robust quality assurance systems were in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service and improvements were driven by engagement with people, whose views were listened to and acted upon.

Rating at last inspection:

The last rating for this service was Good (published January 2017).

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk