The Oaks Care Home

Updated 19 August 2025

The Oaks Care Home is a nursing home supporting younger and older adults with mental health needs, physical disabilities and sensory impairments, including those living with dementia. The home can accommodate up to 71 people. At the time of our visit, 67 people were living there.

The service is arranged over 3 floors in a purpose-built building. The first and second floors include spacious lounges, dining areas, and suitable communal spaces for people to relax and engage in activities. The ground floor houses catering and laundry facilities. The lower ground floor has a large communal activities/training room, staff areas room a dedicated rest space.

The inspection took place between 24 November and18 December 2025 and covered all quality statements under the key questions: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. We visited the service on 24, 25 and 26 November 2025.

During this inspection we spoke with people who lived at the service, their relatives, staff, the registered manager, senior management team and sought feedback from other healthcare professionals. We looked at care plans, recruitment files and quality assurance records.

There was a very positive culture within The Oaks Care Home which was supported by a robust quality-focused governance framework to ensure the service operated within the standards expected by the provider and met regulatory and legislative requirements. There was a strong and consistent management team who were very motivated to improve and develop healthcare provision both inside The Oaks and in the wider community. The management team were proactive in developing professional relationships with others to ensure positive outcomes for people. This included building strong working relationships with people using the service, their relatives, external healthcare professionals and community organisations. Learning and innovation were key contributors to service improvement. Healthcare professionals told us how the culture within the home and excellent communication supported positive working relationships which achieved excellent standard of care.

Staff were referred to as ‘care companions’ and were highly compassionate and empathetic, particularly towards people living with dementia. People were treated with dignity, respect, and kindness, and were actively involved in decisions about their care. Social activities were creative and tailored to individual needs, supporting people to live fulfilling lives. Relatives and professionals praised the service for its person-centred approach.

The provider’s ethos was based on the concept of ‘Ohana’ (meaning extended family, the people you live with, laugh with and love), which was evident throughout the service.

This approach had an outstanding impact on people’s health and well-being, fostering a sense of belonging, emotional security, and community that enriched daily life and care experiences.

Recruitment was value based and focused on staff skills, experience, and personal qualities such as empathy and self-awareness. Staff development and wellbeing were prioritised, supported by a robust retention strategy. High-calibre staff were recognised as essential to delivering quality care.

Risk assessments and safety checks were in place. The home was clean and fresh, supported by effective cleaning schedules to minimise infection risks. Medicines were managed safely, with people involved in any changes.

Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs. Governance systems ensured continuous monitoring of care quality and safety, with a strong focus on improvement. Engagement with stakeholders and professionals supported positive outcomes for people living at the service and smooth transitions for people moving into the service.

Updated 19 August 2025

People lived full, rich and active lives at The Oaks Care Home and were encouraged to maintain their interests and develop new ones. They told us they felt valued and enjoyed the friendships they had developed with people and staff. One person told us, “They know me and I know them very well. They know how to look after me and what my needs are.” People were empowered to be involved in working in partnership with the management team to support decision making that directly impacted on their lives. People were involved in planning and organising events and activities in the home and making up planters for the garden and planting their choice of plants and flowers with some support. This demonstrated that the provider promoted people’s independence, giving them meaningful choices and opportunities to contribute to their environment and daily life.

One person told us, “The staff are all nice here. I feel safe here, because I can do what I want when I want and how I want. They don’t tell me what to do. I go outside a lot. I like gardening. I would tell the staff here if I didn’t feel safe.” Positive risk taking was promoted and staff worked in collaboration with people to develop risk management strategies that enabled them to continue living their lives with as few restrictions as possible. One person told us, “It’s fine for me living here. I can have peace and quiet when I want it. If I don’t there’s plenty of activities to join in with. I do like my own company though.” People remained members of the local community and enjoyed being active participants in local events and meeting up with friends and family as they wished to.

Relatives described staff as kind, caring, friendly and welcoming to all. They told us staff were understanding, comforting and helpful to both them and their family members, treating everyone with respect. Staff were said to bring a lot of fun and laughter into people’s lives. Relatives told us they had peace of mind knowing their family members were safe and well looked after.

Some people told us there was room for improvement in the food provided, and this feedback was shared with the provider, who was already taking steps to address it. People and their loved ones expressed confidence in raising any concerns with the management team, describing them as approachable, kind, and caring. They described managers as being visible and responsive to their needs and wishes. They told us they were involved in planning and reviewing their care needs and that any health issues were escalated appropriately. Good communication and positive relationships with other healthcare professionals ensured people received consistency and continuity in their medical care.