• Care Home
  • Care home

The Oakes

Overall: Outstanding read more about inspection ratings

55 Railway Approach, Laindon, Essex, SS15 6JX (01268) 441096

Provided and run by:
Kingswood Care Services Limited

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Oakes on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about The Oakes, you can give feedback on this service.

5 August 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

The Oakes is a care home providing personal care and accommodation for seven people who have a learning disabilities and/or autism.

We found the following examples of good practice.

The service had effective systems in place for managing the Covid-19 pandemic to keep people and staff safe. There was a strong focus on promoting the safety and wellbeing of people. The service used surveys to identify the needs of people and staff in order to manage any risks associated with Covid-19 and provide additional support and reassurance if required.

Staff were provided with the appropriate training and personal protective equipment (PPE) was made available to people and staff. Infection control measures and cleaning regimes had been increased and additional hand sanitising stations were available throughout the service.

The service was creative in its approach to supporting people with learning disabilities to wear PPE that had been personalised to reflect their personalities and interests.

There was signage throughout the service encouraging handwashing and the correct wearing and disposal of PPE. Notices on doors provided guidance as to the numbers of people allowed to enter each room to ensure safe social distancing could be maintained.

The home environment had been adapted to create more space for social distancing and the garden space was being fully utilised and had been further developed to promote occupation and social interaction in a safe way.

People continued to be supported to live meaningful lives day to day. Thought had been given to ensure people could still access the community, enjoy outdoor activities and meet up with friends and relatives within the constraints of current government guidance to ensure their safety.

Since visiting had resumed, a designated area had been made safe for visits utilising outdoors space. A booking system and screening checks were in place to protect people from the risk of cross contamination.

The provider demonstrated a commitment to supporting staff who were shielding and had introduced new staff incentives to show staff they were valued and appreciated.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

7 June 2019

During a routine inspection

About the service:

The Oakes is a care home providing personal care and accommodation for up to seven people, with learning disabilities and autism. At the time of the inspection seven people were living at the service.

People’s experience of using this service:

The service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live a life as any citizen and The Oakes was exceptional in ensuring this was the case for the people who lived there.

Feedback we received about the service was extremely positive. Staff and the registered manager were held in high regard and spoken about in glowing terms. Relatives told us they would not hesitate to recommend the service to others as in the words of one relative, “It is wonderful, superb; they go above and beyond in every way.” This sentiment was echoed by everyone we spoke with.

The vision and values of the service, which were shared by staff at all levels, reflected best practice principles ensuring people were provided with a wealth of opportunities, choice and control. There was a positive approach to safety and risk which allowed people the freedom to live their life as free from restrictions as possible. 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.

The service was dedicated in supporting people to live full and independent lives, challenging the barriers around supporting people with learning disabilities and autism. People's lives were improved through the introduction of new opportunities that encouraged people to be active, engaged and feel part of their local community.

Robust recruitment practices were in place to ensure the suitability of new staff. People were supported by a stable and consistent staff team who regularly went the ‘extra mile’. Staff knew people very well and, as such, had an excellent understanding of their needs and wishes.

Safe systems for the management of medicines were in place. Only staff who had been trained and assessed as competent administered medicines. The service practiced the principles of STOMP which aims to stop the overuse of anti-psychotic medication for people with learning disabilities or mental health conditions.

Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt very well supported. There were a range of mechanisms in place to monitor and support staff to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to provide high quality care and support.

A consistent approach was practiced by staff applying positive behaviour support which had greatly reduced historical incidents of behaviours perceived as challenging. Because of this, people had made significant progress in terms of developing their social skills and behaviours. This had opened the doorway to new experiences for people and promoted their social inclusion.

There was a very homely feel to the service. Care and attention had been paid to make sure people’s personal space reflected their tastes and preferences and any cultural or sensory needs. Outside space had also been adapted and personalised to reflect people’s interests and allow people to have time alone if needed.

Staff were exceptionally kind and caring and knew what was important and mattered to people. People’s hopes and dreams were known and respected by staff who went above and beyond to make them a reality. Staff formed positive, trusting relationships with people which helped people develop the confidence and independence to achieve their goals and live their life as they chose.

The management and staff team were committed to providing a service that met people’s individual needs and aspirations. The culture of the service was truly person-centred and empowering. Care and support was completely focused upon what each person wanted to do and people were consistently involved and included in planning their care and support.

The service was extremely well-led by a long-standing registered manager who provided an exemplary role model to staff. Respect for equality and diversity was fully embedded within the service and, without exception, people were supported and empowered to follow their individual lifestyle choices.

Robust quality assurance systems were in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service and improvements were driven by engagement with people, whose views were listened to and acted upon.

Rating at last inspection:

The last rating for this service was Good (published January 2017).

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service.

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

5 January 2017

During a routine inspection

The Oakes provides accommodation and support for up to seven people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders or mental health needs. On the day of our inspection the service did not have any vacancies. The service does not provide nursing care.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service was safe. The registered provider’s recruitment procedures ensured that only suitable staff were employed. There were enough staff to help keep people safe, meet their needs and protect them from harm and abuse. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were appropriately assessed, managed and reviewed. There were safe systems in place for receiving, administering and disposing of medicines.

The service was effective. People were supported by staff that had the skills and experience needed to provide effective care. The registered manager understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were supported to eat and drink enough and maintain a balanced diet and to access health and social care services when required.

The service was caring. Staff knew people very well and were kind and sensitive to their needs. Staff were observed providing excellent personalised care and it was evident they clearly understood people’s individual needs. Staff ensured people’s privacy and dignity was respected and maintained at all times. Where people required additional support staff supported them using appropriate methods of communication for their individual needs.

The service was responsive. People were involved in the planning and review of their care and support needs. Care plans were person centred and were regularly reviewed. People were encouraged and supported by staff to pursue their interests and hobbies and activities were tailored around people’s likes, choices and abilities.

The service was well-led. Staff, relatives and healthcare professionals spoke positively about the registered manager who was committed to providing an excellent person centred service; ensuring people had a good quality of life. There were systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service provided and people living and working in the service had the opportunity to say how they felt about the home and the service it provided. The registered manager was able to demonstrate how they measured and analysed the care and support provided to people, and how this ensured that the service was operating safely and was continually improving to meet people’s needs.

21 October 2014

During a routine inspection

The inspection of The Oakes took place on the 21 October 2014 and was unannounced; this meant that the provider and staff did not know that we would be visiting.

The service is provided in a large detached house which has been adapted for the needs of people using it. This service also has a self-contained flat which is used as an enablement residence to support and encourage people’s independence. The Oakes is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to seven adults who have a learning disability. Some of whom may also have a formal diagnosis of autism.

This service requires a registered manager to be in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The CQC monitors the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. We saw that there were policies, procedures and information available in relation to the MCA and DoLS to ensure that people who could not make decisions for themselves were protected. The service was applying these safeguards appropriately. This was through assessing people’s capacity and making appropriate referrals to the supervisory body, (the Local Authority,) if people’s liberty was being restricted.

People were happy with the service they were receiving and there were many positive comments about the service, the management and the staff team.

We found that people’s health care needs were assessed, and care planned and delivered in a consistent way which met their needs. From the four people’s plans of care we looked at we found that the information and guidance provided to staff was clear. It would enable them to provide appropriate and individual care. Any risks associated with people’s care needs were assessed and plans were in place to minimise the risk as far as possible to keep people safe.

Staff knew how to support people in ways that they wished to be supported and there were sufficient numbers of staff were being provided to meet people’s needs.

Staff had the knowledge and skills that they needed to support people. They received training and on-going support to enable them to understand people’s diverse needs and work in ways that were safe and protected people.

We saw that staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and worked in ways that demonstrated this. Staff asked for permission before providing any personal care or any activity.

Records we looked at and people we spoke with showed us that the social and daily activities provided suited people and met their individual needs. People were supported to make their own decisions about if they undertook activities or not. People’s preferences had been recorded and we saw that staff respected these.

Records viewed showed that people were able to complain or raise any concerns if they needed to. We saw that where people had raised issues that these were taken seriously and dealt with appropriately. People could therefore feel confident that any concerns they had would be listened to.

The provider used a variety of ways to assess the quality and safety of the service that it provided. People using the service and their families were consulted with. The organisation undertook a range of monitoring and areas such as health and safety and medication were regularly audited.

The management team at the service were well established and provided good and consistent leadership. This helped them to provide a good quality service that was proactive, learned from experiences and ensured people were enabled to live positive and fulfilling lives.

4 October 2013

During a routine inspection

We saw from records that people who used the service are involved in the planning of their care wherever possible. Care records showed us that people expressed their views and were involved in making decisions about their care and treatment.

We spoke with people who used the service. They told us that they were happy with the care and support that is provided at The Oakes. One person told us. "I like everyone, I go out everyday." During our visit two people who used the service were being supported by staff to get ready for a short break to Barcelona, this had been organised with the support of staff and was the choice of the persons involved.

We found that the service had a safe and effective process for the safe handling of medicines and these were in line with the relevant guidance and legislation.

We found that there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs during our visit.

We saw that an effective complaints system was in place, this supported people who used the service to raise a complaint or make comments and protected from discrimination.

4 January 2013

During a routine inspection

Records showed that people had an individualised support plan detailing their specific care needs and any potential risks.

We found that staff interactions with people who live at the service were positive and staff were seen to have a good rapport with individuals. Staff on duty at the time of our visit were observed to have a good understanding and awareness of people's support needs. Staff confirmed to us that they liked working at the service and that team work was good.

We found that people were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard. The provider had suitable arrangements in place to ensure that newly appointed staff received a comprehensive induction, received appropriate training and development and benefitted from regular supervision.

The service was noted to have an effective quality assurance system in place for assessing and monitoring the quality of service provided at The Oakes.

18, 26 April 2011

During a routine inspection

Where people were unable to provide a verbal response or tell us verbally their experiences, as a result of their limited verbal communication, we noted their non verbal cues and gathered information about people's experiences through our observations.

One relative told us that their family member was actively involved in their care plan and that they had seen it and agreed to the information recorded. They also told us that the care and support provided for their family member was 'excellent' and that they could not have wished for more. The relative told us they were always kept informed of any healthcare appointments and the outcomes.

During our visit we were able to hold a conversation with two people who use the service and to view others experience through our observations. People with whom we spoke told us they were happy and liked where they were living. People also told us that the care and support they received was good and that they liked the staff working within the service. Both people told us that they participated in sufficient leisure activities throughout the week, both during the day and at evenings and weekends. Their last case reviews in 2010 recorded 'I like living at The Oakes because it's nice and the food is good', 'I like all the staff at The Oakes' and 'I like it at The Oakes because I do activities'. People with whom we spoke with told us that they liked the sensory room and enjoyed spending time in there.