- Care home
Oake Meadows Care Home
Assessment report published 10 November 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 29 September to 16 October 2026.
Oake Meadows provides accommodation, personal care and nursing care for up to 105 people.
The home specialises in the care of older people including people living with dementia.
The home is divided into 4 different areas. One area provides general nursing care, 1 provides nursing care for people living with dementia and another provides care to people who have personal care needs. There is also a rehabilitation unit which is run in partnership with the local NHS. At the time of our assessment, 85 people were living at the home.
We carried out this assessment following concerns raised through whistleblowing and information received from partner agencies.
People, relatives and professionals were generally positive about the care and support provided. We observed compassionate interactions and people were supported to make choices and maintain their independence. Staff understood people’s needs, received relevant training and worked effectively with health and social care professionals. Medicines were generally managed safely and systems were in place to report, investigate and learn from incidents.
However, care and support were not consistently delivered or recorded to the required standard. Some risk assessments and care plans lacked sufficient detail, and we identified concerns relating to pressure mattress settings, prescribed thickener and medicine guidance. Parts of the environment were worn or damaged and some cleaning records were incomplete. People’s feedback regarding staffing response times, activities and meaningful engagement were mixed, with limited stimulation and interaction observed in some areas.
Leaders were visible, approachable and responsive. Governance systems, audits and action plans were in place, and immediate action was taken when concerns were raised during the assessment. Professionals consistently commented positively about partnership working.
Further improvement was needed to strengthen risk management, record keeping, environmental standards, infection prevention and control, and consistent opportunities for meaningful engagement.
People's experience of this service
People and relatives generally spoke positively about living at Oake Meadows Care Home. People felt safe and described staff as kind, caring and familiar with their individual needs. One person told us, “I am really well looked after and yes I do [feel safe].” A relative commented,
“It’s very good. We are pleased with the care. They are very good; they look after us well.”
People also valued the reassuring atmosphere, with 1 relative describing their family member as, “Comfortable, very relaxed and well cared for.”
People told us staff were respectful and took time to build positive relationships with them. One person said, “The staff are all very nice, always a kind word and they help me,” whilst another told us, “They are all very nice to me.” Relatives described staff as “Very caring”, “Wonderful” and said they treated people as individuals.
People and relatives told us staff respected their privacy and dignity. Relatives consistently said staff knocked before entering bedrooms, closed doors and curtains during personal care and treated people respectfully. Staff demonstrated an understanding of people's preferences and wishes and spoke positively about the people they supported. We observed staff seeking consent before providing support and using respectful language when speaking with people throughout the assessment.
People said staff respected their choices and supported their independence. They could choose when to get up or go to bed, where to eat and meal options. Feedback about food was mainly positive. Comments included, “The roasts are the best,” and “The food’s lovely, there’s plenty, I get a choice.” Our observations of the mealtime experienced were mixed. Staff were observed offering choices, seeking consent and providing unhurried support with meals. However, people were not always communicated with during their meal to explain what the meal was.
People’s experiences of activities and meaningful engagement were mixed. Some enjoyed bingo, singing, church services and visiting entertainers. During 1 musical activity, people sang, clapped and tapped their feet. However, other observations found people sitting without staff interaction or meaningful occupation. One person said, “There’s nothing as far as I know,” while a relative felt their family member, “Could do with more activities.”
Most people said staff responded when they needed help, but some said they sometimes experienced delays after using their call bells. One person said, “Sometimes they take a while, but they’re not rushed when they do come.”