CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Old Rectory
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, February 2022
The Old Rectory was rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, with immediate action taken over a staircase risk.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 16 and 21 December 2021. Inspectors spoke with people, visitors, staff and health professionals. They observed care, reviewed records and checked medicines, staffing, infection control and management systems.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were described as safe, comfortable and relaxed. Staff knew people well, supported their choices and provided kind, respectful care.
There were enough staff at the time of the inspection, and medicines and infection control were managed safely. Inspectors identified potential risks with one staircase, but the manager acted immediately to reduce the risk. The home also temporarily stopped admitting people while recruiting and inducting more staff.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw staff offering calm, compassionate support. People were treated as individuals and staff took time to reassure them.
“There were compassionate, kind and patient interactions between people and staff.” from the report
Staff knew residents well
A stable core staff team understood people's needs, communication and preferences. This helped create a calm atmosphere.
“There was a core of staff who had worked at the home for a number of years.” from the report
Personalised daily life
Care plans included people's backgrounds and interests. Activities and daily routines were based on individual choices rather than a fixed timetable.
“People were able to follow their own routines.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Senior staff giving medicines had received training and competency checks. Medicines were regularly audited.
“People received their medicines safely from senior staff who had received training to carry out the task.” from the report
Staircase safety risk
needs fixingInspectors found potential risks linked to one staircase. The manager took immediate action to minimise the risk, but families should ask what permanent improvements were made.
“We identified some potential risks in relation to one of the staircases.” from the report
Staff recruitment pressure
needs fixingThere were enough staff during the inspection, but the home had temporarily stopped admitting people while recruiting and inducting more staff. Ask about current staffing and whether the block remains in place.
“They had recently placed a temporary block on admitting any further people until they had recruited and inducted more staff.” from the report
- 01What action was taken after the potential risks with the staircase were identified, and has the work now been completed?
- 02What are the current staffing levels, and has the temporary block on new admissions been lifted?
- 03How will you make sure there are enough suitably trained staff if someone has more complex dementia or behaviour support needs?
- 04How are my relative's personal interests, routines, food preferences and communication needs recorded and reviewed?
- 05How will the home keep relatives informed about important events, care changes or incidents?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control; all five ratings were given as Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 February 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of The Old Rectory
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 September 2020.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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15 live-in carers within about an hour of Dorset
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £1,040 to £1,340 a week. 11 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
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