Oak House

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 79 (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 ensured people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and regularly reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

Relatives told us people’s needs were assessed and they were kept informed when changes occurred. One relative said, “The provider always keeps me informed. Staff always ensure we are kept updated.”

Staff told us they were involved in regular discussions and reviews about people’s needs. One staff member said, “Care plans are clear and regularly updated, and handovers keep us informed. We also work with professionals like SALT [Speech and Language Therapists] and GPs when needed.”

The provider retained feedback from visiting professionals, which they shared with us. We reviewed feedback from the current year, which praised the staff team’s responsiveness and the development of new behavioural strategies in response to people’s changing needs.

Regular reviews took place with relevant professionals, and referrals were made appropriately to ensure people’s needs continued to be met.

The provider consistently planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, ensuring it reflected what was important and meaningful to them. Care was delivered in line with legislation and current best practice. The provider actively developed and embedded evidence‑based approaches and standards to improve outcomes for people.

Relatives told us about the significant impact that consistent, skilled and innovative support had on people’s wellbeing and development. One relative described notable improvement in a person’s communication skills and reading abilities, telling us, “It may sound like small steps, but it’s huge.” This demonstrated how sustained, personalised support led to meaningful progress over time.

Support was proactive, consistent and firmly grounded in good practice. Staff used person‑centred approaches informed by training and evidence‑based guidance to support people to engage meaningfully within their community and develop new skills. For example, staff supported one person to take part in a sponsorship activity, raising money for a charity of their choice. We spoke to this person, who proudly told us about the activity. This had a highly positive impact, as the person was supported to be an active and contributing member of society, promoting self‑worth, inclusion and independence.

Staff worked in close partnership with families and community organisations to ensure care and treatment reflected people’s needs, strengths and aspirations. As a result, people developed increased confidence, improved communication skills and achieved positive outcomes through sustained engagement in their communities. These outcomes demonstrated how evidence‑based, personalised care was used to enhance people’s quality of life beyond meeting their immediate care needs.

The provider worked effectively across teams and services to support people to receive coordinated care.

Staff worked cohesively as a team, sharing information openly and following agreed guidance and actions. The provider promoted an open and honest culture, which supported consistent care delivery and positive outcomes for people. Feedback received about the service was positive and complimentary.

Staff ensured professional advice was followed in practice and agreed actions were consistently implemented. Key information, including appointments, professional recommendations and outcomes, was accurately recorded in people’s health records. This supported continuity of care and a shared understanding of people’s needs across the staff team, helping to ensure care was planned and delivered consistently.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing in ways that maximised their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and, where possible, to reduce their future need for care and support.

People were actively encouraged to live healthier lives through healthy eating and regular physical activity. Relatives told us people were continually encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and to remain actively involved within their local community, which supported both their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of how to promote healthy living while respecting people’s choices. One staff member told us, “We always encourage a healthy diet, but it is the person’s choice. We make sure fruit is always on offer, and we encourage exercise such as walking and playing football. We do our best.” This showed that staff balanced health promotion with respect for people’s autonomy.

People’s health and wellbeing were regularly monitored and recorded in daily care records. This enabled staff to identify any changes promptly and take appropriate action to support people to maintain their health.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to support continuous improvement. They ensured outcomes were positive, consistent and met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people using the service.

Relatives told us they felt people’s health needs were monitored safely and appropriately. One relative said, “Staff meet all of [the person’s] needs.” This reflected confidence in staff oversight and responsiveness.

Staff explained how they monitored people’s health needs, including physical health indicators such as weight. One staff member told us, “People are supported according to their care plan, and I follow these to give them the best support. Any needs or changes are discussed in handovers, memos and staff meetings. It’s my duty to ensure I’m up to date with people’s care plans as they are updated by the manager.” This showed that monitoring was embedded into daily practice and supported by effective communication.

Records reviewed confirmed people’s health and care needs were monitored in line with their assessed needs. Information was used to inform reviews and ongoing care planning, helping to ensure people received appropriate support.

The provider informed people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person‑centred care and treatment.

People had choice and control over their lives. We observed staff consistently seeking consent before providing support. For example, staff asked people for permission before showing us their bedrooms. People were encouraged and supported to make their own decisions and choices wherever possible.

Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). One staff member told us, “Mental Capacity is all about ensuring people can make their own decisions. Some people have capacity over decisions such as food, what to eat or what to wear, but they may need support to go out.” This showed staff understood decision‑specific capacity and how to provide appropriate support without restricting people’s rights.

Where people lacked capacity to make specific decisions, detailed mental capacity assessments and best interest meetings had been completed. Appropriate Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations were requested where required.