CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Old Vicarage
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, safe medicines systems, suitable infection control and regular reviews of risks and accidents.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's physical, mental, social and emotional needs were assessed. Staff were trained, people received suitable food and drink, and health care professionals were involved when needed.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff knew people's backgrounds, routines and preferences, and involved people and relatives in care decisions.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised, detailed and regularly reviewed. People were supported with communication, activities, visits and important relationships.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found strong leadership, an open culture and effective checks on care records and medicines records. The manager had an action plan and had addressed most shortfalls identified by an external consultant.
What inspectors found, January 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with no regulatory breaches reported.
This was an unannounced planned inspection on 16 December 2021. One inspector spoke with four people, eight staff and three relatives. They reviewed care records, medicines records, recruitment files, training information and quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe and that staff were kind. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practices, good infection control and care that reflected people's needs and choices.
People were supported with food, health care, activities, communication and relationships. Inspectors found that care plans were detailed and regularly reviewed. People and relatives knew how to complain and felt listened to.
This was the first inspection since the service registered with CQC in November 2020. The previous provider had been rated Good in June 2019. No breaches of regulations were reported.
Enough staff
People were supported by enough staff, and inspectors saw staff spending time with people without rushing.
“During the inspection, staff were not rushed and spent time sitting with people and chatting.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke positively about the way staff treated them. Staff knew people well and respected their dignity, choices and independence.
“People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans were detailed and regularly reviewed. People and relatives were involved in planning their care, and communication information was provided in accessible formats.
“People received care and support that was tailored to and responsive to their individual needs.” from the report
Activities and community links
People were supported to stay active and involved, including through baking, exercises, religious services and links with local schools and the church.
“There was singing, dancing and laughter throughout the afternoon.” from the report
Good oversight
The manager and senior staff worked as a team. Audits and checks were used to monitor the quality and safety of the home.
“Effective audits and checks were completed to monitor the quality and safety of the service.” from the report
Some earlier improvements remained
minorAn external consultant had identified several areas needing improvement. The manager had addressed most of the shortfalls, but the report does not say that every area had been fully resolved.
“A number of areas were identified as needing improvement.” from the report
- 01Which improvements identified by the external consultant are still being completed?
- 02How would you meet my relative's specific nursing, dementia or health needs?
- 03How are care plans reviewed with residents and their relatives when needs or preferences change?
- 04How do you make sure there are enough permanent and agency staff on each shift?
- 05What activities and visits would be available for my relative, including if Covid-19 guidance changes?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe; no one was receiving palliative care at the time. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 January 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.
What inspectors found, February 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 5 February 2021. It checked how the home prevented and controlled infections during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors found good practice. The home provided a tablet so people could have video calls with family and friends. Staff also supported contact with health professionals while reducing infection risks.
Inspectors were assured that the home used protective equipment safely, followed shielding and social distancing rules, supported testing, kept the premises hygienic and had an up-to-date infection control policy.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the inspection did not provide an overall quality rating or ratings for the other care areas.
Keeping families in touch
The home bought a tablet and supported people to have video calls with their loved ones.
“The provider had purchased a computer tablet and system to enable people to have video calls with their loved ones.” from the report
Working with health professionals
Staff worked with health professionals and used measures to reduce the risk of COVID infection during professional visits.
“The registered manager and staff worked closely with health professionals to meet people's needs whilst minimising the risk of COVID infection.” from the report
Preparation for isolation
The home had prepared boxes containing equipment that could be needed if someone had to isolate.
“These contained all the equipment needed to support people if they had to be isolated such as clinical waste bags and personal protective equipment.” from the report
Infection control systems
Inspectors were assured that the home had arrangements covering visitors, admissions, PPE, testing, hygiene and outbreak management.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now?
- 02How can residents keep in touch with family and friends if in-person visits are limited?
- 03What arrangements are used if a resident needs to isolate?
- 04How are visitors and health professionals checked before entering the home?
- 05When was the home's latest full inspection, and what were its ratings for the other care areas?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it was not a full inspection and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 February 2021 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 Vicarage
5 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- June 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 November 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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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 £980 to £1,260 a week. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.