1. What is Fletcher Oakmont?
Fletcher Oakmont helps care providers strengthen their people practices, understand risk and prioritise improvements. Based in Torquay, we support organisations across the South West - including Exeter, Torbay, Plymouth and Bristol, and throughout the UK.

Our flagship People Readiness Index™ brings together insight into compliance, people processes, culture, performance and leadership. We also provide practical HR advice, project support and strategic people leadership, helping you build effective, scalable people operations without the cost or commitment of a full-time People Director.

2. What industries do you work with?
Primarily healthcare, social care, and education, but we also support tech, local government, and fast-growth scale-ups across areas such as Exeter and Bath.

3. What is Fletcher Oakmont?

Fletcher Oakmont helps care providers strengthen their people practices, understand risk and prioritise improvements. Our flagship People Readiness Index™ brings together insight into compliance, people processes, culture, performance and leadership. We also provide practical HR advice, project support and strategic people leadership.

4. Who do you work with?

Our main focus is adult social care, including domiciliary care, residential care and franchise networks. We also support organisations in other regulated and people-intensive sectors where our experience fits their needs.

5. What is the People Readiness Index™ (PRI)?

PRI is a structured people diagnostic designed for adult social care providers. Through 30 questions across five pillars, it helps you assess how well your people practices support your service, identify potential gaps and agree practical priorities.

You receive a People Readiness Score™, a tailored report and clear recommendations to support improvement.

6. What does PRI assess?

PRI covers five pillars:

• Compliance & Risk Management – how you manage people-related obligations and risks.

• Structure & Process – how effectively your people systems, records and processes work.

• Culture & Engagement – how you listen to, involve and support your workforce.

• Performance & Development – how you set expectations, develop capability and manage performance.

• Leadership & Governance – how leaders oversee people practices, make decisions and follow through.

7. Who should complete PRI?

The assessment is best completed by someone with a good understanding of the service’s people practices, such as the owner, registered manager, senior leader or HR lead.

We encourage colleagues to complete it together where useful, drawing on their knowledge and checking supporting records before agreeing scores.

8. How long does PRI take?

The assessment usually takes 15–20 minutes to complete. Your tailored report is normally delivered within 48 hours of receiving a completed assessment. Any different timetable will be agreed before you begin.

9. Is PRI completed per service or across a whole group?

PRI should be completed separately for each service. This keeps the findings specific and actionable, rather than allowing stronger practices in one service to mask gaps elsewhere.

Groups and franchise networks can commission multiple assessments, with reporting arrangements agreed in advance.

10. How should we choose our scores?

Choose the score that best reflects what happens consistently in practice, supported by evidence you could readily explain or locate.

A score of 3 generally reflects an established approach with room to improve consistency or effectiveness. A score of 5 means every part of the description is consistently met, with evidence of sustained effectiveness and follow-through.

A policy or an isolated good example is not enough on its own to justify a 5. The aim is an honest, useful baseline.

11. Is PRI an independent audit?

PRI is a self-assessment with expert interpretation. Your report is based on the answers you provide; it does not independently verify every policy, record or working practice.

Its value lies in helping you reflect honestly, identify areas that need attention and decide where further review or assurance may be useful.

12. What does the PRI report include?

Your tailored People Readiness Report™ includes:

• Your overall People Readiness Score™ and Level.

• Scores across the five pillars and a visual heatmap.

• Your main reported strengths and gaps.

• Your primary people-related exposure.

• Three priority actions to guide improvement.

• An executive summary and question-by-question commentary.

• An indicative financial impact assessment, with assumptions explained.

A Leadership Briefing Deck helps you share the headline findings with your management team.

13. How is the People Readiness Score™ calculated?

Your answers are scored from 1 to 5 and combined using the PRI scoring methodology to produce a weighted score out of 100.

The four People Readiness Levels are:

• Level 4 – Outstanding: 88–100.

• Level 3 – Good: 63–87.

• Level 2 – Requires Improvement: 39–62.

• Level 1 – Inadequate: 0–38.

These are PRI classifications based on your assessment responses. They are separate from any regulator’s rating.

14. Is PRI only about inspection readiness?

No. PRI looks at the people practices that support effective day-to-day operations, a positive workforce culture and sustainable growth.

It can support inspection preparation, leadership planning and conversations about investment or acquisition. It also helps services identify improvements before a problem or external review creates urgency.

15. How is PRI different from a mock inspection?

A mock inspection reviews a service against the relevant regulator’s assessment approach. PRI focuses specifically on people practices, including workforce processes, culture, management capability, performance and governance.

The two can complement each other. PRI does not replace a mock inspection or assess every aspect of care quality.

16. Does a high PRI score guarantee a positive inspection outcome?

No. PRI reflects your reported people practices at the time of assessment. It does not predict or guarantee an inspection result, regulatory compliance or future performance.

A high score should still prompt leaders to check that strong practices are sustained and supported by evidence.

17. Is PRI suitable for smaller care services?

Yes. PRI is designed to be relevant to services of different sizes. Strong scores depend on effective, proportionate practices, rather than having a large HR team, expensive software or complex systems.

A smaller service can demonstrate strong people readiness through clear processes, reliable records and consistent leadership.

18. Is the People Readiness Index™ available internationally?

Yes. PRI is available to care providers outside the UK and delivered remotely. We agree the scope and any adaptations before you begin, taking account of your operating context and local regulatory expectations.

19. Can we receive a PRI badge or certificate?

Services achieving a qualifying Good or Outstanding PRI result can receive a digital badge and certificate recognising their People Readiness Level.

Recognition relates to the PRI assessment and its stated scope. It is not regulatory accreditation or independent certification of care quality.

20. Are our results confidential?

Individual assessment responses and reports are treated as confidential and shared in accordance with the arrangements agreed before the assessment.

For sponsored group or franchise programmes, HQ reporting can provide anonymised, aggregated findings while keeping individual service reports confidential. Small reporting groups may be combined or omitted to help protect anonymity.

21. How much does PRI cost?

Please contact us for current pricing and delivery options. We will confirm what is included before you proceed.

For care groups and franchise networks, we can agree a programme covering individual service assessments, aggregated insight and progress reporting.

22. What happens after we receive our report?

Start with the executive summary, heatmap and three priority actions. Discuss the findings with the relevant managers, agree owners and timescales, and identify how you will check progress.

Your report provides a starting point for action. Any clarification, follow-up or implementation support included in your engagement will be confirmed in advance.

23. Can you help us implement the recommendations?

Yes. Additional support can include manager development, policy and process improvements, workforce planning, people projects or ongoing HR advice.

We agree the scope and cost with you before starting. You can also use your own team or existing advisers to take the recommendations forward.

24. How often should we repeat PRI?

We generally recommend an annual assessment to review progress and identify emerging priorities. An earlier reassessment may be useful after significant organisational change.

For a meaningful comparison, assess the same service and use a consistent, evidence-led approach to scoring.

25. What is the People Risk Calculator?

The People Risk Calculator (PRC) is a free tool that provides an indicative estimate of potential people-related costs. It is a starting point for reflection, rather than a financial forecast.

PRI provides the fuller assessment, with 30 questions, five-pillar analysis and a tailored improvement report. Contact us to discuss which option best fits your needs and the current terms.

26. Do you provide HR support beyond PRI?

Yes. We support specific people challenges, including restructures, investigations, grievances, appeals, policy development and management capability.

We also provide ongoing advisory support and strategic people leadership. The right arrangement depends on your organisation, priorities and existing resources.

27. Do you need to be based locally to work with us?

No. We are based in Torquay, Devon, and support organisations across the UK. Much of our work is delivered remotely, with on-site support available by agreement.

28. How do I get started?

Email us at hello@fletcheroakmont.co.uk with a brief outline of your needs, and we’ll help you identify the most appropriate next step.