Red Oaks

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• 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 Outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained the same. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People experienced an exceptionally compassionate and respectful culture. One person said, “This is a very special place.”

Staff consistently knew people well, listened to them and used their understanding of people’s histories, preferences and communication needs to provide warm, reassuring and dignified support. People and relatives repeatedly described staff as exceptionally kind, friendly and caring. One relative said, “Excellent – carers are so caring, all the residents are treated so personally, as a person.” Another said staff “really care – not just here for the job.”

Our observations showed staff always met high standards of kindness and dignity. Staff knelt to people’s level, explained what was happening, sought consent, offered choices and remained calm and patient when people needed additional time. During one interaction, staff spent approximately 15 minutes reassuring a person who was reluctant to transfer from their rollator, gently explaining the risk, offering alternative seating and allowing the person to decide when they were ready. Staff also recognised confusion, anxiety and non-verbal communication, responding with reassurance, humour, companionship and appropriate physical comfort. People appeared relaxed and secure with staff and affectionate, trusting relationships were evident throughout the home.

Kindness and dignity were embedded across different roles and settings, such as nursing, kitchen and domestic staff rather than dependent on individual care staff. Staff knocked before entering rooms, asked permission before providing support and adapted communication to each person’s understanding. Mealtime support was attentive and respectful: staff showed people meal choices, explained options, offered alternatives and provided discreet assistance while continuing to engage them. Staff knew people’s names, histories and preferences and used this knowledge in meaningful ways; for example, one staff member brought a person a football flag because they knew it would matter to them, and staff contacted a relative when their loved one was feeling particularly well so they could share time together in the garden.

The provider actively sustained and improved this culture. Dignity champions had additional training, sought people’s views directly and supported colleagues to reflect on practice. Staff handovers involved the wider team so employees across the home understood people’s needs and preferences. Recruitment emphasised caring values as well as competence, while training and reflective work promoted person-centred language, positive reframing and an understanding of behaviour as communication. These arrangements translated organisational values into consistent everyday practice and helped staff anticipate when people needed reassurance, privacy or emotional support.

The embedded culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues from other organisations as they were treated in the same manner. Professionals told us, without exception, that their experiences of staff and leader engagement and approach to caring for people was above and beyond. One professional said, “From the moment you walk through the door, there is a warm, caring atmosphere that is felt throughout the home. Residents are treated with kindness, dignity and genuine respect.” Another partner commented, “Out of all the Care homes I go to this is the one I would most want a loved one to go to should that be required.”

People were consistently recognised, valued and supported as individuals. Staff had an exceptional understanding of each person’s life history, identity, preferences, abilities and communication needs, and used this knowledge to shape day-to-day care. People and relatives described highly personal support. One professional said, “It is very clear that staff know them as individuals rather than simply people receiving care.”

Staff adapted their approach so people could communicate, participate and retain confidence. This was particularly evident for people living with dementia, whose verbal and non-verbal communication was understood and responded to sensitively. One person said, “I’ve got dementia and the people who look after me understand dementia, so I never feel silly.” This demonstrated that staff did more than recognise clinical needs; they protected people’s self-esteem and enabled them to engage without embarrassment or fear of being judged.

Treating people as individuals was part of everyday care across the service. People’s social, cultural and religious needs were explored during assessment and reflected in care planning and everyday support. Staff knew people by name and understood what mattered to them. One relative said, “They know all the names of everyone.” This familiarity created continuity, belonging and trusting relationships, while ensuring support remained personal rather than task-led.

The provider’s approach went beyond standard person-centred practice because staff consistently translated detailed knowledge of each person into respectful, responsive support that promoted identity, inclusion and positive outcomes. For example, one person had previously trained and ridden horses and run their own stables. Staff arranged a Shetland pony visit, enabled them to groom the pony and brought photographs from their room to support conversations about their past. The person said, “It brought back such fond memories of the time I spent with my horses. Thank you so much for organising this special experience for me.” The consistent feedback from people, relatives and professionals demonstrated an embedded whole-service culture in which people were known, understood and treated as unique individuals.

People were exceptionally well supported to exercise independence, choice and control. Staff used ‘Getting to Know Me’ records, individual discussions, residents’ meetings and the Enable system to understand what mattered to each person, monitor whether they were genuinely engaged and adapted support when interests or needs changed. People confirmed they retained control over daily routines; one person said, “I go to bed whenever I like, early or late,” and another said, “You do what you like.”

Staff identified and overcame barriers that might otherwise have restricted choice and intervened before people became isolated. Monthly Enable reports showed when engagement reduced and prompted timely one-to-one work. For example, staff recognised one person’s declining participation, established that anxiety and difficulty walking to the café were contributing factors, and offered a sensory aid, reassurance and wheelchair support. The persons’ engagement subsequently increased, and they reported feeling calmer and more in control. For another person who did not enjoy larger groups, staff used their previous routines and preferences to arrange pub visits and carpet bowls, leading to genuine enjoyment and a new friendship.

Another person’s history led staff to arrange weekly short-mat bowls at the local leisure centre; this restored a valued part of his life, increased his confidence and friendships, and inspired carpet bowls at the home for others. Staff also arranged transport and dedicated support so a person could attend her granddaughter’s wedding.

There was a sustained, whole-service culture of enabling people to remain active citizens and contributors, rather than passive recipients of care. People shaped the programme through monthly meetings, and resident ambassadors welcomed new people, acted as buddies and represented others’ views. Long-standing partnerships with the community choir, playgroup, schools, churches, football club, leisure centre and village organisations created ordinary, reciprocal community relationships. People’s skills were recognised and used for the benefit of others. One person knitted more than 60 hats for a maternity unit and over 100 miniature hats for Age UK; she sold work at a community event to fund further projects and described pride and purpose in her achievements. The community choir enabled another person to continue an established lifelong interest and develop new friendships. These approaches were personalised, sustained, and shared across the service.

People’s needs, views, wishes and comfort were a priority and staff anticipated these to avoid any preventable discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff used evidence-based tools to monitor people’s conditions to anticipate and determine if people required extra support. Staff recognised when additional professional support was needed for people. One professional said, “The staff are very good at either calling or emailing if they have any concerns with those patients.”

Appropriate escalation of incidents and timely referrals helped support people with immediate needs. For example, clinical use of the early warning assessment tool to quickly assess people’s level of discomfort and deterioration, in order to determine if they needed further support. One staff member said, “When it comes to falls, we assess using the ABCDE assessment (a step-by-step clinical assessment tool used to evaluate and manage a suddenly unwell or deteriorating resident). We also use NEWS2 (a standard clinical tool used in nursing and care homes to spot when a resident's health is getting worse) and complete neurological observations following head injuries post falls. And we conduct ongoing post falls observations and monitoring.” When people needed support to mobilise and transfer, we observed moving and handling procedures where staff carefully and safely helped them using equipment.

People received safe person-centred care as the provider prioritised an exceptional organisational commitment to staff wellbeing, inclusivity and support. Staff were highly valued by the management team who provided them with the resources and support to provide quality care.

Leaders understood that supporting staff as individuals was integral to consistently high-quality, person-centred care. Staff described a strong sense of belonging and mutual support. One staff member said, “This is not just a place to work, it's about family. If someone needs help, we help each other.” Another said, “We value staff here; we get a lot of support.”

Support was highly personalised and routinely exceeded standard employment arrangements. Leaders flexed rotas and leave so staff could maintain family relationships overseas and balance caring responsibilities. Reasonable adjustments included long-standing extended breaks, light duties and access to physiotherapy for a staff member with health needs. A staff member returning from maternity leave said they had deliberately chosen the service because they needed “somewhere where I can be supported.” When a colleague experienced bereavement, managers changed shifts, approved leave at short notice, maintained daily contact and enabled them to leave work when needed. They said, “I really appreciate how work supported me through everything.” This demonstrated compassionate leadership which responded promptly to individual circumstances and enabled staff to remain valued, included and well.

The provider invested proactively in physical, emotional and financial wellbeing. Staff had confidential access to counselling, a private GP, physiotherapy, health advice and financial support through the employee app. Annual workplace wellbeing MOTs were delivered with the local council and led to meaningful outcomes, including improved sleep and diet and the early identification of a possible health condition, prompting timely GP follow-up. Staff said the checks were “very worthwhile” and “very good and beneficial.” Smaller wellbeing groups gave staff a safe space to reflect on challenging interactions, share experiences and understand how people’s histories and cognitive needs influenced behaviour. Staff reported this made them more open-minded and improved how they approached and cared for people. One staff member said, “In terms of staff well-being, you're not just a number; you are cared for.”