Whiteoaks Rest Home

Updated 7 May 2025

We carried out this inspection from 14 May to 9 June 2025. The service is a residential care home providing support to older people. At the time of the inspection there were 31 people living in the home and 1 person in hospital.

We found some concerns in relation to managing risk, safe and effective staffing, safe environments, medicines management and end of life planning. The provider’s systems and processes in place did not always identify the concerns we found on inspection and therefore failed to drive improvement. The provider was very responsive during the inspection and put new systems and processes in place to mitigate the risks to people.

The provider had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. Managers made sure staff received training and regular support to maintain good-quality care.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff responded to people in a timely way. The provider supported staff wellbeing.

People knew how to give feedback and were confident the provider took it seriously and acted on it. People received fair and equal care and treatment and were involved in planning their care.

Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities.

Updated 7 May 2025

People were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of their care. They felt safe, were involved in planning their care and understood their rights. People said they received high quality care from knowledgeable staff who treated them as individuals. One person said, “I am happy here and the girls [staff] are exceptionally good.” Several people described how staff treated them kindly and made sure any personal care was done sensitively, preserving their privacy and dignity. People also said the service provided some activities to keep them physically and mentally active. Some people could not directly tell us about their experience. We carried out observation to assess whether they received good care. This approach showed people were included and listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them. People felt able to complain, were confident action would be taken, and felt improvements would be made. People knew staff and leaders well. One person told us, “I like it here, they take us out in the garden if we want, they put a new path down last year and have put nice blinds in the conservatory. We can have visitors whenever we want.”