Archived: Oakdene Nursing Home

Updated 7 December 2016

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 registered provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 6 September 2016 and was carried out by two adult social care inspectors. The inspection was unannounced.

Prior to our inspection we reviewed all of the information we held about the service. We considered information which had been shared with us by the local authority. Before the inspection, we received a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also gathered the information we needed during the inspection.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us

During the inspection visit we spoke with six people who lived at the service, four visitors, five members of care staff including one nurse, the registered manager and deputy manager. During the inspection we spoke with two health and social care professionals and a visiting person who was carrying out activities.

We looked at all areas of the service, including people’s bedrooms, when they were able to give their permission. We looked at the kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, toilets and all communal areas. We spent time looking at five care records and associated documentation. We looked at records relating to the management of the service; for example policies and procedures, audits and staff duty rotas. We looked at the recruitment records for four members of staff. We also observed the lunchtime experience and interactions between staff and people living at the service.

Updated 7 December 2016

This inspection took place on 6 September 2016 and was unannounced. This is the first rating inspection of this service.

Oakdene Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 37 older people some of whom are living with dementia or have needs associated with mental health. People may have a physical disability and/or a sensory impairment. There were 32 people living at the service when we inspected and the registered manager told us that this would be the maximum they would admit given recent changes to the layout of rooms. An application to the Care Quality Commission to reduce the maximum number of people the service could accommodate was pending. The service had several communal areas including a garden room. It had a lift, and was fully accessible to wheelchairs. It had specialist equipment to assist people with mobility problems and was close to local transport links.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Medicines were safely handled and risks were well assessed to protect people.

Staff were able to tell us what they would do to ensure people were safe and people told us they felt safe at the service. The registered provider had sufficient suitable staff to care for people and staff were safely recruited. Monitoring checks for the environments were carried out and the registered manager told us about how they managed environmental risks. People were protected by the infection control procedures in the service.

Staff had received training to ensure that people received care appropriate for their needs. Training was up to date across a range of relevant areas.

Staff had received up to date training in Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Staff understood that people should be consulted about their care and they understood the principles of the MCA and DoLs. People were protected around their mental capacity.

People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met. People enjoyed the meals. Specialist advice around people’s health care was sought and followed.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. We saw staff had a good rapport with people whilst treating them with dignity and respect. Staff had knowledge and understanding of people’s needs and worked together well as a team. Care plans provided detailed information about people’s individual needs and preferences. Records and observations provided evidence that people were treated in a way which encouraged them to feel valued and cared about.

People were supported to engage in daily activities they enjoyed and which were in line with their preferences and interests. Staff were responsive to people’s wishes and understood people’s personal histories and social networks so that they could support them in the way they preferred. Care plans were kept up to date when needs changed, and people were given opportunities to take part in drawing up their care plans, their reviews and to give their views which were acted upon.

People told us their complaints were responded to and the results of complaint investigations were clearly recorded. Everyone we spoke with told us that if they had concerns they were addressed by the registered manager who responded quickly.

The registered provider had an effective quality assurance system in place. Oakdene Nursing Home was well managed and staff were well supported in their role. The registered manager had a clear understanding of their role. They consulted appropriately with people who lived at the service, people who were important to them, staff and health care professionals, in order to identify required improvements and put these in place. Records around good governance were clear and accurate and led to planned improvements.