The Old Rectory

Updated 13 April 2026

Date of inspection was Thursday 21 May until Wednesday 27 May 2026. This service is a residential care home providing personal care and support to older people and people living with dementia. We carried out this inspection because a significant period had passed since the service was last inspected. The registered manager was on maternity leave at the time of the inspection. The service was being managed by the registered manager of the provider’s sister home. Some areas of the environment required improvement to make them safe including windows and a door closer. The provider took immediate action to make the areas safe during the inspection.

There were sufficient staff to keep people safe. However, the provider needed to consider the deployment of staff when they took their breaks, as we found areas of the home left unsupervised and this put people at risk. We saw that there had been incidents that required staff intervention when no staff were present in the lounge areas.

People’s medicines were stored and administered safely by suitably trained staff. The home was clean and free from malodour.

People received healthcare when they needed it. However, the monitoring of people’s healthcare needs highlighted some gaps in the recording of certain tasks.

Staff had received training to fulfil their roles and felt supported in the workplace. Staff demonstrated an understanding of safeguarding procedures and knew what to do if they suspected abuse.

The provider followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act and ensured people consented to their care through the appropriate legal frameworks.

There was a range of activities available for people to join in. This included trips into the local community. Where able to, people were encouraged to be as independent as they were able to be.

People were treated with kindness and respect. They were involved in how their care was planned and undertaken and their complaints were taken seriously.

The provider undertook a range of audits to monitor the quality of the service. However, some of the audits and records lacked detail to ensure that potential improvements would be identified.

Updated 13 April 2026

People told us they felt safe and well cared for. One person told us, “I’ve made it my home. It’s a very happy home. I’m looked after here hand and fist. I don’t have to clean it or pay any bills. I’m happy here and there is nothing to complain about.”

People were able to make choices about their care and treatment. One person told us, “It’s like a hotel here. I come and go as I please.” There were regular meetings with people involving them in choices about their care including food and drink.

People told us they enjoyed the food and we saw people were offered a variety of choices. One person told us, “I like the food. We get a choice. I get the food I like. I like fresh fruit and vegetables. If I ask for something they try and get it.”

Relatives we spoke with told us they were happy with the care their loved ones received. One relative told us, “I would give this place the highest recommendation. I only looked here nowhere else as I was so happy with it. I wouldn’t want him to go anywhere else at all.”

Most people we spoke to felt there were enough staff to meet their needs. However, 2 people told us they felt that since the staff had been reduced by 1 in the morning, they had to wait longer to have their care needs met. We fed this back to the manager.