Oak Tree Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

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 service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. We found there was a positive approach to ensuring continuous development of the service. There was a range of policies and procedures to guide staff on what was expected of them in their roles. One staff member said, “The visions and values of Oak Tree Lodge include to provide person centred care in a safe and homely environment, retaining autonomy and preserving dignity, privacy and respect. Within my role I support this ethos and always ensure I promote this.” The registered manager said, “If I had to sum up this home in 3 words I would say, warmth, dignity and belonging. Warmth in our relationships, communication and atmosphere. Dignity because of how people are respected and supported and belonging as this is a home and not a service.”

The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. The managers had a clear commitment to providing person centred care and valuing people who lived at the home and the staff team. Staff spoke highly of the registered manager. One said, “[Registered manager] is really friendly, confident and just a loving person. They really would do anything for anyone.” Another staff member said, “I have very much enjoyed being a part of [registered manager’s and deputy manager’s] team. They work well together and are a good support to their staff team.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable, and they felt comfortable to speak to the management team if they had any concerns. They said, “[Registered manager] is lovely and supportive. If we have any concerns or upset, I can always go and speak to them or the deputy manager. I am always listened to and have the chance to speak up.”

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them. Managers identified when staff needed any additional support and responded flexibly. Staff told us they felt valued and listened to by managers at the home. They said, “When we have appointments, they will do their best to cover our shift and they arrange my shifts to work around my childcare.” The registered manager told us, “We are an inclusive home. We support staff with their religious needs and encourage people and staff to share their cultural backgrounds if they are happy to do so. Our residents asked whether one of our staff could cook a meal native to their country and our staff were more than happy to do this. We celebrate and support our staff and residents. I have an open-door policy and people have the opportunity to speak with us in meetings, 1:1’s and through our regular requests for feedback.”

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate. The management team were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. The home had clear arrangements for accountability and improvement using a range of audits to monitor quality and identify areas that could be improved.

The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement. Staff worked closely with other agencies to ensure people's needs were met. Staff worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. For example, the home had strong community links with local schools and the local church. The registered manager was part of registered managers networks and actively engaged to share learning and improvements.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice. The registered manager encouraged a culture of continuous improvement by providing robust oversight of the overall governance of the home. This meant areas of improvement were easily identified and the lessons learned process followed. The registered manager was open and honest and extremely responsive to areas that could be improved throughout the inspection. For example, to strengthen their understanding of the mental capacity assessments the registered manager reviewed best practice guidance, demonstrated their learning and began making improvements before the end of our inspection.