Oxenford House

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence. At our last assessment we rated this key question good.

At this assessment the rating has remained as good.

This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 75 (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 always made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by thoroughly assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People's needs were assessed thoroughly before and after admission to ensure care could be delivered safely and effectively. Assessments covered a wide range of needs, including physical and mental health, mobility, nutrition, skin integrity, communication and emotional wellbeing. Care plans were reviewed regularly and updated when people's circumstances changed.

People and their relatives were involved in assessment and review processes where appropriate. Relatives told us staff understood their family member's needs well and had the skills and knowledge to provide effective care. Comments included, “They completely understand, I feel very confident,” and “I have every confidence that they have the skills and knowledge.”

Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals to assess, monitor and respond to people's needs. One person told us, “The doctor visits every 2 weeks and is very good. I have high blood pressure, and they keep an eye on it.” Staff described working with a range of professionals, including GPs, district nurses and specialist teams, to ensure people received appropriate support, particularly when needs were complex or changing.

The provider demonstrated effective assessment and review processes for people with a range of care needs, including those returning from hospital and those accessing respite care. For example, respite care assessments were completed before each stay to ensure staff had up-to-date information and could provide consistent, personalised support.

The provider always planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation. They worked to develop evidence-based good practice and standards.

People received care and treatment that reflected current professional guidance and specialist recommendations. Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals, including GPs, district nurses, physiotherapists and Speech and Language Therapists (SALT), to ensure care was responsive to people's needs. One staff member told us, “We are always working collaboratively with other health professionals to ensure that care is delivered to a high standard and is person-centred.”

Staff and managers demonstrated strong partnership working with external professionals to ensure people received coordinated and effective care. A healthcare professional told us, “Communication with the care home is very timely and undertaken partly by phone but also with use of NHS email to ensure clarity of data transfer. They are also involved and included in broad email chains relating to allied healthcare professionals and end-of-life care provision.” This helped ensure professional advice was shared promptly, and people's care remained consistent and responsive.

Specialist advice was incorporated into care plans and followed in practice. For example, staff implemented SALT recommendations relating to modified diets, fluid consistency and mealtime support for people at risk of choking. Care records showed these recommendations were clearly documented and regularly reviewed to help ensure people received safe and appropriate support.

Staff used recognised clinical assessment tools to assess and monitor people's needs. Records demonstrated the use of assessments relating to pressure care and skin integrity, with clear management plans in place to reduce identified risks and support positive outcomes. Care plans and risk assessments were updated when people's needs changed to ensure support remained appropriate and reflected current needs.

Healthcare professionals consistently spoke positively about the provider's approach to delivering effective care. One professional told us, “I meet with management at least twice weekly and they are very responsive and raise any concerns with me and I have no hesitation in doing vice versa.” They added, “They are clearly committed to providing excellent care to their residents and do so whilst maintaining dignity and as much independence as possible.”

The provider demonstrated positive outcomes through responsive, evidence-based care. For example, following support from healthcare professionals and ongoing monitoring by staff, one person who had stopped eating and drinking while in hospital was able to resume eating and drinking after admission to the service. Relatives spoke positively about the care provided and described staff seeking professional advice to inform care decisions and keep them updated about changes to their family member's health and wellbeing. Reflecting on the quality of care provided, a healthcare professional with experience of supporting numerous care homes described the service as their “role model for care and commitment to their residents.”

The provider always worked well across teams and services to support people. They shared thorough assessments of people’s needs when they moved between different services, so people only needed to tell their story once.

The provider worked well with healthcare professionals to ensure people received coordinated, responsive and person-centred care. Staff maintained positive relationships with GP practices, community nursing teams and other health and social care professionals, enabling people to access support promptly when their needs changed.

Staff took a proactive approach to partnership working and shared information effectively to ensure professionals had a comprehensive understanding of people's needs. Daily handovers, staff meetings and governance processes supported effective communication within the service, helping staff respond quickly to changes and ensuring care remained coordinated.

People and their relatives told us staff worked collaboratively with healthcare professionals and kept them informed about changes to care and treatment. Relatives described staff seeking advice promptly and acting on recommendations to ensure people received the right support at the right time.

Partnership working was focused on achieving positive outcomes for people. Staff coordinated support from different professionals, helping people experience seamless care and timely interventions when needs changed. This collaborative approach reduced delays, promoted continuity of care and helped people maintain their health, wellbeing and independence.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People were supported to maintain and improve their health, wellbeing and independence. Staff encouraged people to do as much as possible for themselves and promoted opportunities to remain active and engaged. One person told us staff looked after them well and encouraged them to maintain their independence. Another person said staff encouraged them to take part in activities that supported their wellbeing.

The provider achieved positive outcomes for people through personalised support and access to appropriate healthcare professionals. For example, 1 person's mobility improved significantly following a prolonged hospital stay. With support from staff and physiotherapy input, they progressed from requiring specialist mobility equipment to walking safely with equipment and participating in trips and activities.

Relatives described noticeable improvements in their family members' health and wellbeing after moving into the service. Feedback included, “[Family member] has reduced anxiety, improved engagement and increased social participation,” and “[Family member's] blood sugar levels stabilised after admission.” Other relatives told us, “Within 1day, [family member] was downstairs, dressed and walking with a frame” and, “[Family member] is now eating and drinking, which they weren't doing in hospital.”

These examples demonstrated how staff supported people to regain skills, improve confidence and maintain their health through a person-centred approach that promoted independence, social engagement and overall wellbeing.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

The provider used effective systems to monitor people's health, wellbeing and independence and to identify changes in their needs. An electronic monitoring system supported staff to track areas such as nutrition, hydration, emotional wellbeing and changes in presentation, enabling timely action when concerns were identified.

People received personalised support that reflected their individual needs and goals. Staff monitored progress and adapted support where required, including for people living with complex health conditions such as Parkinson's disease, anxiety and mobility difficulties. This helped promote independence and maximise positive outcomes.

People and relatives spoke positively about the impact of the care provided. One relative described their family member's quality of life as “vastly improved, no contest,” while another said the provider had given them “an additional month” with their loved one and significantly improved their quality of life. People told us, “Staff encourage me to join activities and support my wellbeing” and “Staff look after me well and encourage me to do as much as possible for myself.”

The provider offered a varied programme of activities designed to support physical, emotional and social wellbeing. This included community outings, arts and crafts, music, reminiscence sessions and accessible technology that enabled people to participate in games, puzzles and group activities.

People experienced positive outcomes because of the support they received. Relatives and people described improvements in areas including mobility, confidence, social engagement, emotional wellbeing and overall quality of life, demonstrating the impact of personalised care and ongoing monitoring of outcomes.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

The provider worked in partnership with people, relatives and representatives to ensure care and treatment decisions were made in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Staff had completed MCA training and demonstrated a clear understanding of consent, capacity and decision-making. Care records included evidence of consent, mental capacity assessments and, where applicable, Lasting Power of Attorney arrangements.

Where people lacked capacity to make specific decisions, the provider followed appropriate legal processes and made referrals to the local authority when restrictions on liberty required authorisation. This helped ensure people's rights were protected while enabling them to receive safe and appropriate care.

Staff consistently sought people's consent before providing support and respected their right to make decisions about their daily lives. During the assessment we observed staff asking for consent before offering assistance and providing care. One person told us, “Everything I do is my choice and staff respect that.” Another said, “I am in a wheelchair now, but they always ask before they wheel me anywhere.

People were supported to make choices about all aspects of their care and day-to-day lives. This included decisions about meals, activities, daily routines and their personal environment. One person told us, “I always choose what I want to do,” while a relative explained their family member was able to make independent decisions about menus, activities, meal locations and when they wished to rest.