Hollow Oak

What families say

Based on 3 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth70
• Compassion & dignity70
• Cleanliness65
• Activities & engagement80
• Food quality60
• Healthcare65
• Management & leadership65
• Resident happiness75

What inspectors found

Inspected 2018-10-03 · Report published 2018-10-03 · Inspected 1 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The home received a Good rating for safety at its October 2018 inspection. This indicates inspectors were satisfied that risks were being managed, medicines were handled appropriately, and staffing levels were sufficient to keep people safe. Without the full inspection text, specific evidence u2014 such as falls data, safeguarding records, or infection control observations u2014 cannot be confirmed. The home's small size of 27 beds can support safer environments through greater staff familiarity with each person.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good Safe rating means the home met the bar inspectors set for protecting your parent from harm at the time of this inspection. However, our family review data shows that night-time safety u2014 specifically how many staff are present after 8pm u2014 is one of the most anxiety-provoking gaps families identify after a parent moves in. Good Practice research consistently shows that safety incidents are most likely to occur at night, when staffing is thinner and agency cover is more common. With no inspection text available, you cannot know from this report what the night staffing picture looked like, or how the home managed situations where a resident became distressed or fell. These are essential questions for any visit.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that night staffing levels are the single most common factor in safety incidents in care homes, and that homes with consistent permanent staff at night have significantly better safety outcomes than those relying on agency cover.","watch_out":"Ask the home directly: how many permanent staff u2014 not agency u2014 are on duty on the dementia unit between 10pm and 6am, and what is the escalation process if a resident falls or becomes acutely distressed during that period?"}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The home received a Good rating for Effective care in October 2018. This domain covers whether staff have the training to do their jobs well, whether care plans genuinely reflect individuals' needs and preferences, whether healthcare professionals such as GPs are involved appropriately, and whether food and nutrition are managed well. For a home specialising in dementia, an Effective rating requires inspectors to be satisfied that staff understand dementia and can adapt their approach accordingly. Specific detail on training content, care plan quality, or GP access frequency is not available from this report.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"For your parent living with dementia, the quality of daily practice matters more than any single inspection rating. Our family review data shows that 12.7% of positive reviews specifically mention staff who genuinely understand dementia u2014 not just following procedures, but knowing when to use distraction, when to sit quietly, and how to interpret behaviour that can look like aggression but is actually fear. Good Practice evidence is clear that dementia training needs to go beyond basic awareness to include non-verbal communication and person-centred approaches. A Good Effective rating is reassuring, but on a visit you should probe what that training actually looks like in practice u2014 and whether it is updated regularly.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett evidence review found that dementia-specific training focused on communication techniques and life-history approaches significantly reduces distress incidents and improves quality of life, but that many homes deliver only compliance-level awareness training rather than skills-based development.","watch_out":"Ask the manager: what dementia-specific training have staff completed in the last 12 months, and can you give me an example of how a staff member used that training to support a resident who was distressed?"}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The home received a Good rating for Caring in October 2018, covering warmth of staff interactions, dignity, respect, and how well staff preserve independence. Good is a solid result, indicating inspectors were satisfied across these dimensions. Without the full inspection text, direct quotes from residents or specific observed interactions cannot be confirmed. For a 27-bed home with a dementia specialism, the scale itself can support caring relationships u2014 staff are more likely to know each person well.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single most important factor in our family review data, cited in 57.3% of positive reviews u2014 more than any other theme. Families consistently say it is not the building or the activities that matter most, but whether the people looking after their parent are genuinely kind. A Good Caring rating means inspectors were satisfied, but it cannot tell you whether the particular member of staff on duty the afternoon your dad arrives will take the time to find out he likes his tea strong and hates being called by his surname. Good Practice research emphasises that non-verbal communication u2014 a steady pace, a hand on the shoulder, eye-level conversation u2014 matters as much as words for people living with dementia. On a visit, watch how staff move through the building and respond to residents they pass in corridors.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research rapid evidence review found that unhurried, relationship-based interactions u2014 where staff demonstrate knowledge of the individual's life history and preferences u2014 are the strongest predictor of resident wellbeing in dementia care settings.","watch_out":"During your visit, observe what happens when a member of staff passes a resident in a corridor or common area u2014 do they stop, make eye contact, and use the person's preferred name, or do they walk past without acknowledgement?"}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Outstanding

  {"found":"The home received an Outstanding rating for Responsive care u2014 the highest possible rating u2014 at its October 2018 inspection. This is a rare and significant result, particularly for a small home. Outstanding Responsive ratings require inspectors to find clear, specific evidence that the service is shaped around individuals rather than routines, that activities are meaningful and tailored, that complaints are handled well, and that end-of-life care is genuinely person-centred. Without the full inspection text, the specific evidence that earned this rating cannot be confirmed, but the rating itself represents a strong signal that this was a genuine strength of the home.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Our family review data shows that activities and engagement are cited positively in 21.4% of reviews, and resident happiness u2014 the sense that your parent is settled and has a life here u2014 in 27.1%. An Outstanding Responsive rating suggests this home performed well above the national average on both. For someone living with dementia, the ability to engage with meaningful activity u2014 not just a scheduled group session, but the kind of individual engagement that reflects who they were before u2014 can make a profound difference to their daily experience. Good Practice evidence highlights that Montessori-based approaches and everyday household tasks provide continuity of identity for people with advanced dementia who can no longer join group activities. This rating is the most compelling reason to have looked closely at this home.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett evidence review found that individually tailored activity programmes u2014 including one-to-one engagement for people who cannot participate in groups u2014 significantly reduce agitation and improve mood in people living with moderate to advanced dementia.","watch_out":"Ask the activities coordinator: for a resident who can no longer join group sessions, what does a typical Tuesday afternoon look like for them u2014 specifically, who spends individual time with them, doing what, and for how long?"}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The home received a Good rating for Well-Led at its October 2018 inspection, indicating inspectors were satisfied with governance, management culture, and the systems in place to monitor and improve quality. For a home of 27 beds, Good Well-Led typically reflects a manager who is visible and known to staff and residents, with functional audit and feedback systems in place. Without the full inspection text, specific evidence on manager tenure, staff culture, or quality improvement examples cannot be confirmed. It is also important to note that the home has since been deregistered, meaning this rating reflects a historical position.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Our family review data shows that 11.5% of positive reviews specifically mention communication with families u2014 being kept informed, feeling heard, and knowing who to call. Good Practice evidence is clear that leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of consistent care quality: homes where the registered manager has been in post for more than two years consistently outperform those with frequent management changes. A Good Well-Led rating in 2018 is a meaningful historical marker, but given the home is now deregistered, the most important question is what happened to the leadership and culture of care that earned this rating, and whether any successor service exists. If you are researching this home's history rather than making a current placement, this domain rating is a useful baseline for comparison.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research evidence review found that manager tenure is one of the most reliable predictors of care home quality trajectory: homes where the same manager has been in post for three or more years are significantly more likely to maintain or improve their ratings than those with recent leadership changes.","watch_out":"Ask directly: how long has the current registered manager been in post, and what changes have been made to staffing or governance since the last inspection in 2018?"}

  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 specialist care for people with dementia, sensory impairments, physical disabilities and mental health conditions. They support both younger adults under 65 and older residents.. Gaps or open questions remain on The team has experience helping people with dementia adjust to their new surroundings. Staff work patiently to understand each person's needs and preferences. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.