Oxford House Nursing Home

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 70 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider did not always ensure people were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion, or respect their privacy and dignity. During an interaction at lunch time, one member of staff was supporting a person with cutting up their food. The person became agitated and the staff member then said, “You don’t need to be so nasty.” This was raised with the registered manager and nominated individual who agreed this would be addressed with the member of staff without delay.

One person told us staff called their part of the home the “mental end”. Again, this was raised with the registered manager and nominated individual who agreed they would look into this.

During the inspection, most people were spoken to with kindness and dignity. Staff were observed as kind and caring throughout the visit and were checking people throughout the day as to whether they had drinks, snacks and whether they were comfortable. People told us, “They ask me what I like and don’t like which is good”, “Staff are very kind and caring.” One relative also told us, “My loved one gets their needs met and I have no problem with staff.”

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. When people were due to move in or out of the service, a comprehensive individual transition plan was developed. This fully involved people and those who were important to them. Families were involved and kept in touch by regular meetings with the registered manager.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People’s care plans clearly stated people’s abilities and where independence should be encouraged and supported. One relative said, “They do encourage [them] to drink and do things [they] can do on [their] own independently.” Staff knew when people needed their space and privacy and respected this. Staff were seen to sit with people at their level and assist them at their pace during mealtimes. People and their relatives told us staff treated them with respect and dignity.

During the inspection, one person’s previous job meant they were outside most of the day and they did not enjoy being indoors for long periods of time. This had been highlighted to the service, and they had purchased a large, heated gazebo for the person to be able to sit outside in all weathers. On the day of the inspection, the person sat outside for most of the day. Staff went to check on them regularly and they also had a call bell available to them if they needed anything whilst staff were not there.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. People had minimal waiting time to be supported by staff. This was seen during the inspection and through call bell audits. Staff were also aware of people’s preferred routine and adhered to this as much as possible. For example, one person liked to sit in the living room in the morning and lunch but then preferred to be in their bedroom for the afternoon. After lunch, a member of staff asked the person if they would like to return to their room, which they said they would.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care.

The management team were welcoming and demonstrated an open and transparent approach. Evidence of team meetings was reviewed and identified that staff had the opportunity to raise concerns. Staff told us they felt listened to by the management team. There were opportunities for staff to provide feedback. The management team operated an open-door policy and welcomed any feedback. Staff commented positively on teamwork, staff morale and communication within the team. One staff member said, “The team work here is really good and there is strong support from the management.”