The Old Vicarage

Updated 10 August 2025

The Old Vicarage is a residential care home registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 28 people. At the time of the inspection there were 25 people living there.

The inspection was prompted in part by notification of an incident following which a person using the service sustained a serious injury. This incident is subject to a criminal investigation and as a result this inspection did not examine the circumstances of the incident.

However, the information shared with CQC about the incident indicated potential concerns about the management of risk around the premises. This inspection examined those risks.

The assessment commenced on 13 August 2025 and concluded on 1 October 2025. At our last inspection the service was rated good. At this inspection the provider was in breach of the legal regulation relating to a failure to mitigate risk and maintain accurate care records. Following this assessment the provider submitted evidence to show they had started to make improvements.

Risks had been identified but risk assessments did not always include enough mitigation or lacked simple actions to improve people’s safety. Care plans often included generic information or standard statements and in some cases were inconsistent.

People received medicines appropriately. Decisions were taken in line with the Mental Capacity Act. Staff said managers were approachable, supportive and listened to them. Managers carried out regular meetings with staff and people living at the service. People had access to health and social care services when they needed them. We observed kind and respectful interactions between staff and people. People were happy with the care that was provided.

Updated 10 August 2025

People’s feedback was mixed. People said that staff were caring and asked consent before delivering care and treatment. A relative said, “[Person] is being washed, their clothes are changed daily, they are receiving their medication, and they are comfortable here. I can visit whenever I want and that is all important to me.” Another relative commented, “What stands out for me about this place is the kindness and care of the staff. A neighbour recommended this home to me, and I am so pleased they did.”

Another relative said, “[The registered manager] is very efficient, she is spot on. She knows what is happening all the time. She has well trained staff.” A person said, “Yes, there are always staff around when I need them.”

However, other relatives were concerned about falls at the service and whether there were enough staff at busy times of the day. One said, “[Person] fell over recently and suffered [injuries]. The staff could not tell us how it happened, they just found them on the floor. They had no idea how long my relative had been lying there for. That is worrying.” Another commented that their relative had complained about the quality of the food served to them. A relative said, “I do not think that the staff are managing my friend very well. She is getting increasingly depressed which is so hard for me to see.”

We used the Short Framework For Observation tool (SOFI) to observe care from the person’s perspective, this helps us understand how care is received by people unable to tell us themselves.