Oakdene

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

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 had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. Where incidents had happened and staff had completed incident forms, the management team had consistently reviewed these forms to identify and mitigate any potential ongoing risk to people. Quality monitoring processes were used effectively to identify trends for developing risk over a period of time for incidents such as falls. These actions kept people safe from harm and demonstrated a culture that put people’s safety as a priority whilst striving to continually improve.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services. The provider had supported people to achieve long term goals and aims such as moving to independent or support living premises. Care plans showed how goals and aims has been made in agreement with people to help them take small and progressive steps towards these targets. Where needed referrals to other agencies were made and through partnership working people had gained the confidences and skills needed to transition between services smoothly and safely. For example, staff supported people to attend and view new premises and services. Staff also supported people to learn life skills such as domestic activities to support their aspirations.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately. Staff received training and competency checks to support their awareness of safeguarding. Staff we spoke with were extremely knowledgeable about safeguarding risks and what this meant individually to people living at the home. For example, staff were aware of people who were at a potentially higher risk of safeguarding concerns such as self-neglect or emotional abuse. We saw evidence of staff raising concerns prior to a safeguarding incident happening which promoted safety for people and enhanced trust levels between people and staff.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. Care plans contained guidance and information on what goals people wanted to achieve and where appropriate, staff supported people to take positive risks to allow people to work towards these goals. For example, people were supported to access the community with staff support, but over time had gained the skills and confidence to access the community and social events independently including aspects such as taking public transport which had previously been a barrier to them.

A staff member said, “Everyone has individual goals, so no 2 support packages are the same. There is nothing residents can’t do its about helping them worked out the best way for them do it and not just using the same approach for everyone.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The registered manager told us that the home was allocated an annual budget for improvements and people were involved about decisions as to what the budget was spent on. For example, people took pride in showing us the lounge that had been redecorated and modernised and included a media wall. People confirmed they had been included in decisions about decoration. One person said, “My home is now gorgeous.”

People had access to equipment they needed such as hoists or wheelchairs, and these were routinely cleaned and maintained appropriately.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. Staffing rotas showed there were enough skilled and experience staff routinely allocated to all shifts. The registered manager had an on-call system in place where staff could access help and support when managers were not on site. Additionally, the provider had a team of bank staff who were available to cover in unexpected absences such as unplanned leave which ensure people were safe. Staff were recruited safely, and all appropriate checks were completed prior to staff working with people. This included checks such as references and disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks. DBS checks ensure staff’s suitability to work with vulnerable people.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly and the cleanliness of the home was to a high standard. We discussed the age of the property with the registered manager and the potential maintenance needed that could affect infection prevention and control (IPC) in the future. The registered manager had a good oversight of these risks and was working with the provider to ensure the maintenance of the property was regularly reviewed and potential risk with IPC were identified and mitigated. The registered manager was able to evidence they had worked in partnership and acted on feedback from a recent independent IPC audit to ensure best practice was being followed which kept people safe.

The registered manager made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened. The provider ensured staff received regular competency checks and these records had identified examples of good practice and areas for development. Senior staff had also been upskilled to undertake competency checks and complete quality monitoring audits. This meant the management team had a thorough overview of standards in the home and were able to monitor and identify issues or gaps in records or competency quickly which kept people safe from the risk of harm. People received their medicines safely and where needed, timed medicines were safely and effectively administered in line with people’s health conditions. The provider had a staff member who was the medicines champion. This a staff member who specialises in promoting best practices for medication management, acting as a point of contact for staff and healthcare professionals, and ensuring safety and quality in medication procedures. Professionals who worked with the service praised staff knowledge of people and their medicines. One professional said, “We meet with the staff regularly to review and restock people’s medicines. Staff are really knowledgeable and encourage people to take part in their medicine reviews.”