Background to this inspection
Updated
28 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.
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
Our inspection was completed by two inspectors.
Service and service type
Oak House Care Home 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 a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means they and the Provider is 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
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. The provider was 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.
During the inspection
We spoke with six people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We also observed care and interaction between people and staff. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, care staff and the chef.
We reviewed a range of records including four care plans, multiple medication records, safeguarding records and incident and accidents. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service including staff recruitment files.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, policies, quality assurance and audits.
Updated
28 April 2022
About the service
Oak House Care Home is a residential care home that provides accommodation and nursing or personal care for up to 16 people, many of whom have physical disabilities and are living with dementia. At the time of this inspection, 15 people were living at the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The risks associated with people’s care was not always undertaken in a safe way. This included the risk of trips and falls and choking. Accidents and incidents were not analysed for trends and themes to prevent further occurrence. The recruitment for staff was not robust. There was information missing around staff’s employment background and there was a lack of required references for the provider to consider the staff suitability for the role.
The provider and registered manager did not have a robust oversight of the care at the service. They had not identified the shortfalls that we had identified at the inspection. People and staff were complimentary about the registered manager and said they felt listened to. People told us they felt safe and that they received their medicines when needed.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 3 May 2019).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part by concerns we received relating to infection and prevention control practices and safe care and treatment.
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.
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements in relation to risks associated with people’s care, the recruitment of staff and the lack of robust quality assurance. Please see the Safe and Well Led sections of this full report. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Oak House Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Enforcement
We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.
For requirement actions of enforcement which we are able to publish at the time of the report being published. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.