We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Old Vicarage on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about The Old Vicarage, you can give feedback on this service.
The Old Vicarage is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 38 people. The service provides support to older people. At the time of our inspection there were 27 people using the service.
People’s experience of the service and what we found:
People felt safe within the service. Risk assessments were in place to manage risks within people’s lives, and staff understood how to manage risk.
Staff recruitment procedures ensured that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out.
Medicines were stored and administered safely, and staff had training in this area.
Staffing support matched people’s needs within the service during our inspection. Staff were supervised well and felt confident in their roles.
The staff and management was open and honest, and worked in partnership with outside agencies to improve people’s support when required.
Audits of the service were detailed and any issues found were addressed promptly.
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.
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 this service was good (Published 17 November 2017)
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only. For those key question not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Old Vicarage on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow Up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
We found the following examples of good practice.
People were supported by staff to keep in touch with those important to them. Relatives and friends visiting the home were required to complete a COVID-19 test, had their temperature checked and wore Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To reduce the risk, visitors used designated entrances and exits to minimise contact with other residents.
Family members had been supported to visit relatives in receipt of end of life care, when the home had been closed to visitors, during a COVID-19 outbreak.
The home during a COVID-19 outbreak had adopted zoning and cohorting measures to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
Staff engaged with a programme of regular testing for COVID-19 consistent with government guidance and had provided evidence of their vaccination status against COVID-19 which was recorded.
Visiting professionals were asked to provide evidence of their vaccination status against COVID-19 prior to entering the home and evidence of a negative COVID-19 test.
People and their family members had been involved in decisions related to COVID-19, which included testing and vaccination.
We saw PPE was accessible within the home and staff used it in accordance with the most up to date guidance. Information about the correct use of PPE and handwashing guidance was displayed throughout the home. Staff had undertaken training on infection prevention, which included good hand hygiene, and the correct use of PPE.
Systems were in place for the management of infection prevention and control, which included a schedule of cleaning, based on the level of risk. Audits for infection prevention and COVID-19 were undertaken monthly in response to changing needs and government guidance.
At the last inspection in July 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found that the service remained good.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff in the home that had received the training and support that they required to provide effective care to people. Staff had been subject to appropriate recruitment procedures to ensure that they were of good character. People were protected from the risk of harm because staff were confident in recognising and reporting concerns to maintain people’s safety.
People received personalised care and support and had detailed plans of care in place to guide staff in providing their care. People’s needs were monitored closely and their plans of care reviewed to ensure they received appropriate care and support.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
People were supported to access healthcare professionals and to maintain good health and well-being. Staff were vigilant of people’s health. People were supported to have sufficient amounts to eat and drink to help maintain their health and well-being.
Staff took time to get to know people and ensured that people’s care was tailored to their individual needs. People had the information they needed to make a complaint and the service had processes in place to respond to any complaints.
People were supported by a team of staff that had the managerial guidance and support they needed to carry out their roles effectively. The quality of the service was monitored by the audits regularly carried out by the registered manager and by the provider.
This unannounced inspection took place on the 27 July 2015.
The Old Vicarage accommodates and provides care for up to 38 older people, the majority of whom have nursing care needs. There were 32 people in residence during this inspection.
A registered manager was not in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.
People were cared for by sufficient numbers of staff were experienced and trained to meet their needs. Recruitment procedures were robust and protected people from receiving care from staff unsuited to the job.
People received individualised care that suited their needs. The staff team understood and acted upon their individual responsibilities and knew what was expected of them when caring for older people. Staff were attentive and compassionate.
People’s care needs had been assessed prior to admission and thereafter their care plans were regularly reviewed. Care plans were individualised to reflect their current needs so that staff had the necessary information and guidance to meet these needs. People benefited from receiving care from staff that listened to and acted upon what they said, including the views of their relatives, friends, or significant others.
People’s health and wellbeing needs were met by staff that were supported by community based healthcare professionals as and when required. The advice of healthcare professionals was acted upon by staff and people’s prescribed treatments were provided in a timely way.
People’s medicines were appropriately and safely managed. Medicines were securely stored and there were suitable arrangements in place for their timely administration.
People had enough to eat and drink, and the choice of foods available took into account people’s tastes, preferences and cultural backgrounds. People’s individual nutritional needs were assessed, monitored and met. People who needed support with eating and drinking received the help they required. They enjoyed a varied and balanced diet to meet their nutritional needs.
People were assured that if they, or their representatives, were dissatisfied with the quality of the service they would be listened to and that appropriate remedial action would be taken to try to resolve matters to their satisfaction. People knew how and who to complain to.
People’s service was effectively quality assured by the audits regularly conducted by the provider.
One person told us, 'This is a wonderful place.'
We also looked at how the physical surroundings within the home and found that the environment was welcoming and safe.
Finally, we looked at how comments and complaints were managed and how the home dealt with information and records of the staff and people who lived at the home. We found an open approach with good communication in place between the staff and the people who lived in the home and family members. One person told us, 'The manager 'phoned me with updates and listened to my views about X.'
We saw that records were well managed, with sensitive personal information stored securely with and appropriate measures in place.
We also spoke with one relative, and two friends of people living in the home. All said that staff were friendly and welcoming. The relative said that the care that her mother was supplied with was very good. The attitude of staff members was always positive and that staff would always help in any way they could.
The people we spoke with were all very satisfied with staff and the care they received. Staff were seen to be friendly and caring. One person said: 'Staff are nice. They treat you well'. Another person said: 'If I have asked for something, staff will try their best to get it for you'.
The relative we spoke with was also very satisfied with the service: ''There are no complaints. I am kept informed of things. The manager and staff are very good'. She said she was always welcomed into the home by the staff when she visited.