Archived: Oak Tree Care Services

Updated 11 October 2019

The inspection:

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type:

Oak Tree Care Services provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection:

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection:

Although not everyone was receiving personal care support, we spoke with all six people who lived at the service, two support staff and the registered manager. We looked at three care records and two staff recruitment records. We reviewed supervision and training logs, accident and incident logs, complaints and quality assurance audits. We also checked the fire safety of the building, and the management of medicines including medicine administration records (MARs).

After the inspection:

We asked for additional information related to recruitment, training, complaints, policy documents and quality audits. We also spoke with the nominated individual and administrative staff. We received feedback on the service from two family members.

Updated 11 October 2019

About the service:

Oak Tree Care Services is a supported living service, providing personal care and accommodation to six people with a learning disability or a mental health need. The home is on a residential street in a community setting and designed to promote people's inclusion and independence.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. On the day of our inspection there were six people living in the supported living services but only three required support with personal care. At the time of this inspection the people living at the service were aged 18-35.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service :

People told us they enjoyed living at the supported living service. They felt safe with the staff and the other people who lived at the service. Staff were kind to them and treated them with respect.

There was a person-centred culture at the service. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were involved in a wide range of activities including education and volunteering. Care records outlined people’s needs but also their abilities and the registered manager and staff team promoted independence for everyone living at the service.

People were supported, where needed, to access external health professionals to help promote good health and wellbeing. Family members praised the service provided and the ability of staff and the senior management team that worked in partnership with them.

People were safeguarded against the risks of abuse and harm by the systems and by the staff. Risks to people were assessed and mitigated. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and provide flexible, responsive care.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the nominated individual at this inspection. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

The service used some restrictive intervention practices as a last resort, in a person-centred way, in line with positive behaviour support principles.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection:

The last rating for the service was good (published 5 May 2017).

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.