Oakwood Care Centre

Updated 8 May 2021

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.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by two inspectors who visited the service. We also spoke by telephone with staff and relatives of people living at Oakwood Care Centre.

Service and service type

Oakwood Care Centre is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service did not have a manager registered with the CQC. A new manager had been appointed and had started the process of applying to be registered with CQC. Registered managers 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people who used the service and 3 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with two of the directors, 5 members of staff including deputy manager, care workers and the compliance manager.

We reviewed a range of records relating to the concerns raised and the management of the service. These included care records and risk assessments and records relating to medicines, staffing and staff training, building maintenance and equipment checks, infection control, cleaning, accident and incidents, safeguardings and policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 8 May 2021

About the service

Oakwood Care Centre is a residential care home providing personal care to 16 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service is registered to support up to 18 people in one adapted building.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Staff were aware of their responsibilities in safeguarding people from abuse. Risks were well managed. Care records gave clear guidance to staff on what needed to happen to keep people safe, whilst respecting peoples choices. Staff had received training to guide them on managing risks. Health and safety checks in the home had been carried out. There was a programme of regular maintenance to the building and servicing of equipment. Medicines were managed safely. Safe systems of recruitment were in place.

Risks to people who used the service, staff and visitors relating to infection prevention and control, and specifically Covid-19, had been assessed and appropriate action taken. The provider was promoting good infection control and hygiene practices. Staff had received additional training, including handwashing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Since our last comprehensive inspection, a new provider had taken over the service. The provider had good oversight of the service. Systems of daily, weekly and monthly quality assurance checks and audits were in place. The service is required to have a registered manager in place. The location did not have a registered manager. Where satisfactory steps have not been taken to recruit one within a reasonable timescale this can be a limiter on the rating for Well-led. However, the provider had taken satisfactory steps in a timely manner to recruit a new manager, who had started the process of applying to register with CQC.

People told us they were happy living at the home and were treated with respect. Staff knew people well and spoke about people in respectful and caring ways.

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 (published 10 December 2019).

Why we inspected

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns we received about management of the service, staffing levels, safeguarding from abuse, management of risks to people, premises repairs and maintenance and manual handling. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Oakwood Care Centre 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.