The Old Vicarage

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion, consistently placing people at the centre of their care and support. Staff took time to understand each person's individual needs, preferences and emotional wellbeing, ensuring support was always delivered in a dignified and respectful way. People were treated as individuals and were empowered to maintain their independence, make choices, and live their lives in the way they wished.

Staff demonstrated remarkable patience, understanding and commitment when supporting people who experienced challenges with daily routines. For example, one person could become stuck within a repetitive routine and experience a cycle where they were unable to move on to other planned activities. Rather than rushing the person or directing them, staff took the time to understand the underlying reasons for this behaviour and worked collaboratively to develop personalised visual prompts. These prompts provided reassurance and guidance, enabling the person to transition smoothly between activities, reducing anxiety and promoting their independence and confidence. As a result, the person experienced improved wellbeing and greater engagement throughout their day.

The culture of the service was one of warmth, respect and compassion. Staff consistently spoke to people in a caring and dignified manner, protecting their privacy and ensuring personal information was handled sensitively. Relationships between staff and people using the service were based on trust, mutual respect and genuine care.

The provider was exceptional at treating people as individuals and ensuring care, support and treatment was consistently tailored to people's needs, preferences, strengths and aspirations. Staff invested significant time in getting to know people, recognising that each person had unique experiences, communication styles, cultural backgrounds and protected characteristics that shaped how they wished to live their lives. This person-centred approach enabled people to exercise choice and control and achieve outcomes that were meaningful to them.

Staff demonstrated an outstanding commitment to understanding and adapting to people's individual communication needs. For example, staff learned and became highly skilled in using one person's unique language and communication methods. Through patience, consistency and a genuine desire to understand the person's perspective, staff developed effective ways of communicating that enabled the person to express their wishes, preferences and decisions. Prior to receiving support, the person had experienced significant barriers to communication, which impacted their ability to make choices and have their voice heard.

As a result of staff's dedication and personalised approach, the person was able to communicate more effectively, participate in decisions about their daily life and exercise greater choice and control over their care and support. This significantly improved their independence, confidence and wellbeing. Staff continually reviewed and adapted their approach to ensure communication methods remained effective and reflective of the person's evolving needs and preferences.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people's independence and ensuring they had genuine choice and control over their care, support and wellbeing. Staff were highly committed to helping people understand their rights, make informed decisions and achieve goals that were important to them. Support was delivered in a way that maximised people's independence, enabling them to take positive risks, develop new experiences and live fulfilling lives on their own terms.

Staff demonstrated a proactive and person-centred approach when supporting people to pursue their aspirations. For example, one person was supported to achieve their goal of taking a holiday abroad, an experience that was important to them and promoted their independence and quality of life. During the holiday, the person experienced several periods of stress and anxiety which affected their enjoyment of the trip. Rather than viewing this as a setback, staff saw it as an opportunity to learn and further improve support.

Following the holiday, staff completed a detailed review alongside the person, exploring what had worked well and identifying situations that had caused distress. Through careful analysis and meaningful involvement of the person, staff successfully identified specific triggers that contributed to their anxiety. They then developed personalised strategies and adapted their support approach to better meet the person's needs whilst maintaining their choice and control.

As a result, the person's next holiday was significantly more positive and enjoyable. The individual was better prepared, experienced reduced anxiety and was able to participate more fully in activities they had chosen. This demonstrated the provider's commitment to learning, continuous improvement and empowering people to achieve their goals rather than limiting opportunities because challenges had arisen.

The provider was exceptional in how they listened to, understood and responded to people's needs, views and wishes. Staff knew people extremely well and demonstrated a highly responsive approach, recognising subtle changes in presentation, mood and behaviour and acting promptly to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. People received support that was tailored to their individual needs and delivered at the right time, which ensured they felt safe, reassured and understood.

Staff consistently promoted people's wellbeing by adapting support in response to their changing needs. They demonstrated excellent awareness of people's health conditions and proactively encouraged the use of specialist safety equipment and assistive aids. This enabled people to participate safely in a wider range of activities and experiences that were important to them, which promoted both independence and inclusion whilst reducing risks to their health and wellbeing.

The provider had developed comprehensive and highly individualised Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plans which were informed by a detailed understanding of each person's needs, communication methods, triggers and preferred coping strategies. These plans gave staff clear guidance on how to recognise early signs of distress and provided practical, person-centred interventions to de-escalate situations before they became more challenging. Staff demonstrated confidence and consistency in applying these approaches, ensuring support remained compassionate, proactive and focused on the person's wellbeing.

The impact of this approach was significant. Records demonstrated that every person living at the home had experienced a reduction in periods of distress. Staff's commitment to understanding the underlying reasons behind behaviours, rather than simply responding to the behaviour itself, helped people feel more secure, understood and in control. The provider continually reviewed outcomes and adapted support strategies to ensure they remained effective and aligned with people's evolving needs.

The provider demonstrated a clear commitment to promoting the wellbeing of staff and creating an environment where they felt supported, valued and empowered to deliver high-quality, person-centred care. Leaders recognised that positive staff wellbeing was essential to achieving good outcomes for people and had taken meaningful steps to improve the culture within the service.

Staff consistently spoke positively about the impact of the new registered manager and described noticeable improvements in communication, engagement and support. Team members told us that their views were actively sought and acted upon, helping them feel respected and involved in the development of the service.

One staff member said, "Communication has improved and I now feel valued in my role." Another staff member told us, "Our feedback is acted on now. Care plans are changed in line with our feedback if needed, which helps us and our residents."

The provider enabled staff to deliver person-centred care by ensuring care plans reflected people's current needs and by listening to feedback from those working directly with people on a daily basis. Staff described feeling more engaged with the service and better equipped to provide effective support as a result of these improvements.