Oak View

Updated 2 March 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 could 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

There was one inspector.

Service and service type

Oak View 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 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 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 reviewed the information we held about the service and the service provider, including the previous inspection report. We looked at notifications we had received for this service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. Notifications are information about important events the service is required to send us by law. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

People were not able to share their views of the service due to their complex communication and support needs. Therefore, we observed their experiences living at Oak View and staff interactions with them. We spoke with the registered manager, the regional manager and with four staff members.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care plans, health and safety records, daily records and medication records for everyone.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at staff rotas, training records and a wide range of quality assurance records. We received feedback from all the relatives and from one health and social care professional.

Updated 2 March 2022

About the service

Oak View is a care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to four people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection, four people were living there. Accommodation was ground floor only and the building had been specifically designed to meet the needs of people with physical disabilities.

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

Although there were good quality and governance systems, they had not identified areas in relation to record keeping in a number of areas that needed to improve. Immediately following the inspection, the registered manager sent us information about the improvements they would make. They had also called a staff meeting to ensure all staff were clear about the changes needed.

People were protected from the risks of harm, abuse or discrimination because staff knew what actions to take if they identified concerns. The home was clean and tidy throughout. Staff had received training in infection control and the home had a visiting procedure that was thorough to ensure as far as possible people’s safety from COVID-19.

There were enough staff working to provide the support people needed. Recruitment procedures ensured only suitable staff worked at the service. There were safe procedures to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed. Relatives and professionals spoke positively of the care provided by staff.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

¿ Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and independence.

People were encouraged to make choices in all aspects of their lives, from what they wore to what they ate and how they spent their day. Staff knew people well and understood how people made their needs known. They could pick up on subtle clues that indicated people might not be happy or might be in pain and care was planned accordingly. Each person had goals they were working towards achieving. People were supported to go out regularly and to do activities they enjoyed. Bedrooms had recently been or were in the process of being decorated and everyone had been involved in choosing colour schemes and fittings for their rooms.

Right care:

¿ Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights.

We observed that staff were very caring in their approach and people were very content in their surroundings. Staff respected people’s dignity and immediately following mealtimes, people were provided with personal care and if needed a change of clothes to freshen up. We saw that staff responded immediately if people wanted to move to an alternative area of the house.

Right culture:

¿ Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

There was a very positive culture at Oak View. Staff felt supported by the registered manager. All the relatives told us they would have no hesitation in raising concerns if they had any and felt confident, they would be addressed. People were supported to take part in a wide range of activities and throughout the pandemic the staff team had been creative and imaginative in providing additional activities when regular routines had to stop due to shielding.

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

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 25 September 2020 and this is the first inspection. The service was previously registered with CQC and was part of a merger. The last rating for the service under the previous provider Aitch Care Homes (London) Limited, was good (published 13 June 2019).

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.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.