Oakdale

What families say

Family members have noticed how friendly the carers are when they visit. There's a sense that staff make an effort to be welcoming and approachable, which can make such a difference when you're getting used to a new arrangement.

Based on 4 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth72
• Compassion & dignity72
• Cleanliness68
• Activities & engagement85
• Food quality60
• Healthcare68
• Management & leadership70
• Resident happiness75

What inspectors found

Inspected 2020-03-11 · Report published 2020-03-11 · Inspected 2 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the February 2021 inspection. This means inspectors were satisfied that your parent would be protected from avoidable harm, that medicines were managed safely, and that infection control practices were adequate. The home specialises in dementia care, which requires specific safety considerations such as secure environments and appropriate monitoring. However, the published inspection text does not include specific observations, staffing numbers, or incident data to allow us to verify the detail behind this rating.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good Safe rating is reassuring, but it tells you the minimum floor was met u2014 not necessarily how robust safety practices are day to day. Our family review data shows that staffing attentiveness is one of the key things families notice most, and it is particularly important overnight when staffing levels in care homes most commonly drop. Good Practice research is clear that night staffing ratios are where safety most frequently slips, and that over-reliance on agency staff undermines the consistency that people living with dementia need. The 2023 monitoring review found no new concerns, which is a positive sign, but given the inspection is now over four years old, it is worth asking the home directly about current staffing arrangements.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that safety incidents u2014 particularly falls and medication errors u2014 are most likely to occur during overnight hours and at times of staff changeover, making night staffing ratios a critical marker of genuine safety practice.","watch_out":"Ask the home: how many staff members are on duty overnight on the dementia unit, and what is the ratio of permanent to agency staff on a typical week? Then observe whether call bells are answered promptly during your visit."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good, indicating that inspectors were satisfied that staff have the skills and knowledge to care for your parent effectively. For a home with a dementia specialism, this should mean dementia-specific training is in place, care plans reflect individual needs, and healthcare access u2014 including GP involvement u2014 is adequate. Nutrition and hydration also fall under this domain. The published inspection text does not include specific detail about training content, care plan quality, or food provision.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good Effective rating in a dementia-specialist home means the basics are in place, but it does not tell you whether dementia training goes beyond a basic awareness level or whether care plans are genuinely treated as living documents updated as your parent's needs change. Our family review data shows that food quality is one of the eight things families care about most u2014 mealtimes are often the most significant social event of the day for older people, and for someone living with dementia, familiar foods and calm, unhurried mealtimes can be profoundly comforting. Good Practice evidence emphasises that care plans should be reviewed regularly with family input, not just filed away. Ask to see how the home involves you in care planning.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base found that care plans function as living documents in the best homes u2014 updated after every significant change, reviewed with families, and used actively by staff rather than sitting in a folder. Homes where plans are treated as administrative compliance tools, rather than practical guides, show weaker outcomes for people living with dementia.","watch_out":"Ask the home: how often is my parent's care plan formally reviewed, and will I be invited to take part in that review? Also ask what dementia training staff have completed and whether it goes beyond a basic online module."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good at the February 2021 inspection. This means inspectors were satisfied that staff treat your parent with kindness, respect their dignity, and support their independence. For a dementia-specialist home, this should include appropriate responses to distress, use of your parent's preferred name, and unhurried interactions. The published text does not include direct staff observations or resident and family testimony to allow us to verify the specific quality of day-to-day caring interactions.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth and compassion are the two highest-weighted themes in our family review data u2014 together they account for over half of what families say matters most when choosing a care home. A Good Caring rating tells you inspectors did not find anything that concerned them, but the most meaningful test is what you observe yourself on a visit: whether staff greet your parent by name, whether they make eye contact and speak calmly, and whether they respond to signs of distress or anxiety with patience rather than redirection. Good Practice research highlights that for people living with advanced dementia, non-verbal communication u2014 touch, tone of voice, facial expression u2014 can matter as much as words. These things are not visible in an inspection report; they are visible when you visit.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that person-centred caring interactions u2014 characterised by knowing the individual's history, preferences, and communication style u2014 are the strongest predictor of wellbeing for people living with dementia, more so than any specific intervention or programme.","watch_out":"During your visit, watch how a staff member interacts with a resident in a corridor or communal area when they think no one is paying particular attention. Do they stop, make eye contact, and speak gently u2014 or do they walk past? This unscripted moment tells you more than any formal interaction."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Outstanding

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Outstanding u2014 the strongest rating available u2014 and this is the clearest and most significant finding in Oakdale's inspection. An Outstanding rating in this domain means inspectors found particularly compelling evidence that the home responds to your parent as an individual: that activities are meaningful and tailored, that care is personalised, and that the home goes beyond the standard in meeting individual needs. This is the one area where the inspection provides a firm, verified positive signal. The published text does not include specific examples of the activities or personalisation that earned this rating.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"An Outstanding Responsive rating is genuinely rare and meaningful. Our family review data shows that activities and resident happiness are among the most important themes for families, and Good Practice evidence is clear that for people living with dementia, purposeful engagement u2014 not just entertainment u2014 significantly reduces anxiety and distress. The best homes offer individual one-to-one engagement for people who can no longer participate in group activities, not just scheduled group sessions. For your parent, this rating suggests that Oakdale takes individuality seriously u2014 but given the inspection is now four years old, it is worth asking to see the current activities programme and to find out how it is tailored to someone with your parent's specific interests and stage of dementia.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that Montessori-based and activity-based approaches u2014 particularly those incorporating familiar domestic tasks and individual life history u2014 reduce agitation and improve wellbeing in people living with dementia more effectively than group entertainment programmes alone.","watch_out":"Ask the activities coordinator: if my parent can no longer join group sessions, what would a typical day look like for them? Ask to see the activities schedule and check whether it includes one-to-one time, not just group events."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good, indicating that inspectors were satisfied with the leadership, culture, and governance of Oakdale at the time of inspection. The home is registered with two registered managers u2014 Mrs Antoaneta Silvia Gurgu and Mrs Melanie Tucknott u2014 alongside a nominated individual, Mr Kanagaratnam Rajamenon. A shared or dual management arrangement can reflect good succession planning, but it is worth asking how day-to-day leadership is structured. The 2023 monitoring review found no evidence requiring a reassessment, which suggests no significant concerns have emerged since the inspection.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Good Practice research is unequivocal: leadership stability is the single strongest predictor of a care home's quality trajectory. Homes with stable, visible managers who are known to both staff and families consistently outperform homes where leadership is frequently changing. Our family review data shows that communication with families is one of the most important things relatives cite u2014 knowing what is happening with your parent, being contacted promptly when things change, and feeling genuinely involved in decisions. With two registered managers listed, it is worth asking who is the day-to-day lead, how long they have been in post, and how you as a family would be kept informed. The age of this inspection u2014 over four years u2014 means leadership arrangements may have changed since the rating was awarded.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that staff who feel empowered to speak up about concerns without fear u2014 in a culture of psychological safety u2014 are associated with better outcomes for residents. The quality of that internal culture is difficult to assess from the outside but can be gauged by asking frontline staff how long they have worked there and how they feel about raising concerns.","watch_out":"Ask directly: who is the day-to-day manager, how long have they been in post, and what is the best way for our family to raise a concern if something worries us? Also ask how many staff have worked there for more than two years u2014 high turnover is an early warning sign that something is wrong with the culture."}

  Verified by inspector

Source: CQC inspection report →

What the evidence base says

Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The home provides care for adults over 65 and has experience supporting people with dementia.. Gaps or open questions remain on While the home lists dementia care as one of its specialisms, specific details about their approach aren't yet clear from family feedback. You might want to ask about their dementia training and daily routines when you visit. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.