Oaklawn

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 inspection, we rated this key question good. At this inspection, the rating has remained 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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing, and communication needs with them.

Each person had an assessment before they moved into the home which recorded their medical history, medicines, current health conditions, and identified care needs. This information was then developed into a personalised care plan.

People’s needs were regularly reviewed to ensure their care continued to meet their changing needs and preferences. Reviews involved relevant healthcare professionals where required, and relatives told us they were encouraged to contribute to discussions about their family members’ care. This helped ensure people’s care was effective and well-coordinated.

Staff planned and delivered people’s care in collaboration with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

Staff knowledge and practice was kept up to date through regular training. The registered manager and staff worked collaboratively with other professionals to ensure care was co-ordinated and holistic.

Professionals told us staff followed their recommendations to ensure people’s support was personalised to their individual needs and provided in line with best practice guidance. A professional said, “As part of our pathway protocol, we hold an annual review at which recommendations are made. Oaklawn act on these recommendations and are open to trying interventions recommended by our team.”

Some people had needs in relation to nutrition and hydration and required support to eat and drink safely. Professionals told us staff managed this aspect of people’s care well. One professional said, “Staff have good skills and are able to support people effectively with their eating and drinking.”

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They shared information effectively, including when people moved between different services.

Each person had a care passport for use in the event they needed to transfer to another service, such as a hospital. The passport contained details of the person’s health conditions, medicines, allergies, and needs in relation to eating and drinking, mobility, communication, and personal care.

Staff told us they worked well together as a team and systems were in place to ensure the timely sharing of information, including handovers and team meetings, which supported the delivery of consistent care.

The service worked well with health and social care professionals, ensuring people experienced joined-up support, particularly when their needs changed or became more complex. A professional told us, “We have found Oaklawn staff to be skilled in providing care for people with complex needs. One example of this would be their record on skin viability. They are prompt to act on any signs of skin breakdown and nobody on our pathway has experienced pressure sores. They understand the risks associated with dementia, such as aspiration, and refer to our team immediately if they have concerns with eating and drinking skills."

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

Each person had a health action plan, which recorded their individual health needs, the actions needed to support them to stay healthy, and who was responsible for these actions. Records demonstrated that people were supported to access healthcare professionals when needed.

Relatives told us staff proactively monitored their family members’ health and took action if they identified any concerns. One relative said, “They have always met [family member’s] physical needs and her medical needs. They support her to stay healthy.” Another relative told us, “They do lots of proactive monitoring with [family member], like checking her temperature and looking for signs of infection. It has been a source of reassurance for us that they are monitoring and keeping an eye on her health.”

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and support 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.

Professionals told us staff monitored people’s health effectively and escalated any concerns they identified to ensure people received the care and treatment they needed. One professional said, “Oaklawn are very good at monitoring physical health and referring to the relevant teams when needed. They follow-up on health appointments and ensure everyone has their annual health check and routine health appointments.” Another professional told us, “Staff monitor people’s health well and when we call to discuss a referral, weights, BMI (body mass index) etc. are always readily available.”

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering care and support. People received their care in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

People were supported to make decisions about their care in a way that promoted their rights and preferences. For people who lacked capacity, assessments and best interest decisions were completed involving family members and professionals where appropriate. Decisions were clearly documented and reflected people’s known wishes and choices.

Staff understood the importance of gaining people’s consent to their care on a day-to-day basis. A member of staff said, “We knock the door, we greet them, we tell them what we are going to do. We make sure they know what is going to happen next. I think about what I would expect if I was in that position.”

Relatives confirmed staff communicated effectively with people to ensure their understanding and consent. A relative said of staff, “They always explain what they are going to do. They know that is absolutely right and that is exactly what they do.”