The Old Vicarage

Updated 20 March 2026

Date of assessment:31 March – 17 April 2026.The Old Vicarage is a care home for older people, most of whom are living with dementia. The service is registered to accommodate up to 41 people, and at the time of our inspection there were 36 people living at the service.

At our previous inspection, we found the service to have made improvements, and it was rated good. At this inspection, the service has deteriorated to requires improvement. We identified 2 breaches of the legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance.

We found that people’s care records did not always contain sufficient detail to support the delivery of safe care. Risks to people's health and safety were not consistently assessed or recorded within care plans. This placed people at risk of not receiving care in a safe and effective way.

Staff and leaders were well trained and supported and demonstrated a commitment to making the necessary improvements within the service. The environment was welcoming, with a plan to refurbish older parts of the service.

Staff told us they felt the management team were approachable. A new manager had recently been appointed and was working alongside an experienced deputy manager to drive improvements. Throughout our inspection process, the management team were transparent and open to our feedback.

Updated 20 March 2026

Overall, most people and their relatives were happy with the care they received at The Old Vicarage. Relatives told us they felt their loved ones were safe, and that staff were kind. People were supported by staff who were well trained and knew them well. We observed interactions between staff and people to be warm and caring, and there was a relaxed atmosphere throughout the service.

People were encouraged to participate in activities, and their individual interests and life histories were mostly reflected within care records. This provided conversation points for staff to use to engage with people. Further work is required to ensure all care plans are of the same quality and completeness.

People’s relatives spoke positively of the management team, and told us they found the service to be well managed. One person’s relative told us “[Relative] wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but there”.