Oakdene Nursing Home

Updated 11 April 2024

Oakdene Nursing Home is a care home, providing accommodation for up to 71 people who need nursing or personal care. The service provides support to older people and people who are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 47 people using the service, all of whom required personal care rather than nursing. The home consists of two separate buildings Oakdene Lodge and Acorn Lodge within the same grounds. Acorn Lodge specialises in providing care to people who live with dementia. We carried out our assessment on 9 to 31 May 2024. This assessment was undertaken to follow-up on concerns we received about the service. A decision was made to complete an onsite assessment and examine those risks. During this assessment we looked at the quality statements from key questions safe, effective, caring and well-led. At this assessment we identified 2 breaches of the legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, managing risk, and management oversight. We found the culture of safety and learning based on openness and transparency was not fully embedded in the service. People did not always feel involved in planning their care. People’s risk assessments did not always clearly and concisely describe how to mitigate them. Staff understood how to recognise and report poor care and abuse. Staff, people and their relatives told us there were not always enough staff to meet people’s needs. People were cared for in safe, clean environment. We were not assured people’s experience of the service was driven by a culture that normalises good wellbeing through inclusivity, active listening, and open conversations, which enables staff to do their job well and to be well. Managers did not have full oversight of the service to monitor quality and safety. In instances where CQC have decided to take civil enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and/ or appeals have been concluded.

Updated 11 April 2024

People and relatives expressed mixed views about the service they received at Oakdene Nursing Home. One person told us: “I don’t feel unsafe here, but I lost my freedom. I used to go out each day and collect the paper but now I have to be accompanied and there's never any staff." Relatives commented: “[My loved one] is safe as far as security. I would say, with dementia there is some altercations with other residents and that would be due to staffing but on the whole [they] are safe”, “[My loved one] is quite agitated because [they] can’t get out. I have mentioned that sometimes [they] just want to walk outside. I visit a couple of times a week and I do this every day. It’s not always possible and it’s frustrating for [my loved one]” and “We have no problem at the moment. [Our loved one] is safe and well looked after.” People and their relatives told us there was not always sufficient number of staff deployed to meet their needs. One person told us: “After lunch I have to wait for 20 minutes for staff in the dining room and there is nobody to bring me back to my room.” Relatives commented: “There are definitely fewer carers at the weekend, and it can be hard to get through on the phone out of hours." People and their relatives told us there had been a high turnover of staff and management. One person told us: “There was a top care here when I first moved in. Then things went really bad. Change of management was a difficult time. I couldn't get through to anyone. Things are getting better now." Relative commented: “Constant changes in the management have caused me some concern. The managers who have been recruited recently all have great ideas and vision for the home, but they are not staying in the position very long. Staff retention has also been a concern as they were losing some excellent carers" and “There have been good and poor managers locally in the time my [loved one] has been there. Recently there has been a high turnover which hasn’t been good.”