Whiteoak

Updated 9 June 2026

Whiteoak is a respite service providing accommodation and personal care for up to 16 people with learning disabilities and autistic people and those with complex needs. We visited the service on 7 and 8 July 2026. The assessment was carried out because it had not been rated since 2019.

Accommodation is split into three separate suites. The upper floor of one suite was not in use at the time of assessment. On the days of the assessment 8 people were living at the service.

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

The service needed to make improvements in how medicines were managed to minimise the risk of potential harm to people. Quality assurance systems were in not effective in supporting improvement. The service presented as a welcoming, accessible and well-maintained home with flexible staffing arrangements and a strong commitment to providing person-centred care. The service worked well with families and partner organisations to ensure people’s needs were understood and they were able to experience a seamless service, for example if attending a day service. This supported good outcomes for people. Independence was encouraged and people were involved with their care throughout their stays, with their preferences checked regularly and changes noted in care and support plans. People’s rooms were spacious, accessible and personalised; suitable for people using mobility aids such as wheelchairs.

People with specific needs due to their disability or health condition were fully supported, with care records updated and good staff communication at handovers.

Risks to people were understood and well managed, adding to people’s positive experiences of care. They were protected from the risks of abuse by a skilled and capable team of staff who worked in-line with the Mental Capacity Act.

We found that the provider was in breach of legal Regulation 12 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in relation to the safe administration of medicines. Related to this there was a breach of Regulation 17(1) and 17(2)(a) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in relation to Governance, management and sustainability.

The provider has given us an action plan to address the regulatory breaches.

Updated 9 June 2026

We saw people were happy living at the service, were included in conversations about activities and their care throughout and indicated to us that they liked being at Whiteoak. This was supported by their relative's feedback.

Overall, relatives were very positive about Whiteoak and consistently described it as safe, caring and reliable. Many reported that staff communicated well, promptly notifying them of any concerns, managed risks effectively and knew their relatives’ individual needs well. Comments included, “Yes definitely, [Person] gets looked after properly,” “Excellent care by Whiteoak, no qualms” and “Service is excellent, can’t complain.” Relatives valued the respite care provided, and several stated they would not want their relatives to attend another service. The service was widely described as clean, well maintained and professionally run.

Relatives generally felt staff had the skills, experience and knowledge needed to support people effectively, particularly those who had attended the service for many years. Staff were described as kind, respectful and attentive, with one relative commenting they “Go overboard sometimes with the care.” Relatives reported people were treated with dignity, involved in choices where possible and were supported through communication methods tailored to their needs. Most relatives felt involved in reviews and care planning and said they were kept informed about changes in health and wellbeing.

Areas for improvement focused mainly on activities and respite flexibility. Some relatives felt people would benefit from more community access, walks and meaningful activities outside the service. One relative commented, “More activities and get out, not stuck inside.” There were also isolated concerns about access to additional respite during emergencies, medication administration protocols and ensuring all staff consistently understood individual communication needs.

Overall, feedback indicated that Whiteoak was a highly valued respite service with strong relationships between staff, people using the service and their relatives. Most expressed confidence in the care provided and satisfaction with management, with comments such as “Continuity of good service, consistently down to good management” and “Very happy.” Whilst some improvements were identified around communication, activity provision and responsiveness to carers’ circumstances, the overwhelming view was that Whiteoak delivered safe, caring and effective support.