CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Old Vicarage
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe and staff understood safeguarding procedures. Inspectors found suitable risk assessments, enough staff, safe recruitment and safe medicines procedures.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its rating was carried forward from the last comprehensive inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its rating was carried forward from the last comprehensive inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its rating was carried forward from the last comprehensive inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive, open culture, clear management arrangements and detailed audits that led to prompt action when needed.
What inspectors found, November 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found people were safe, medicines were managed well and the home was open and well run.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 18 October 2023. One inspector spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and managers. They also checked care plans, risk assessments and recruitment records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found that people felt safe, risks were assessed, staffing met people's needs and medicines were stored, given and recorded safely. Staff had suitable recruitment checks and understood safeguarding procedures.
Inspectors found an open culture and a clear management structure. Audits were detailed, and action was taken when improvements were needed. The overall Good rating also includes earlier ratings for areas not inspected this time.
People felt safe
People and relatives told inspectors they felt safe. Risks around areas such as mobility, the environment and medicines were assessed and managed.
“People and relatives told us they felt safe within the service.” from the report
Safe medicines practice
Staff who gave medicines were trained. Records checked by inspectors were accurate and regularly reviewed for errors.
“Medicines were administered safely by staff who were trained to do so.” from the report
Enough suitable staff
Inspectors found staffing matched people's needs during the visit. Recruitment checks included identity checks, references and DBS checks.
“There were suitable numbers of staff working within the service to meet people's needs.” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff described the home as open and well run. Staff said they understood their roles and felt supported.
“There was a positive and open culture at the service.” from the report
Checks led to improvements
The home used comprehensive audits to monitor the service. Inspectors found that action was taken promptly when issues were identified.
“All aspects of the service were audited, with clear and prompt action taken to make improvements when required.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are risk assessments updated when a person's needs or mobility change?
- 02How often are medicines records checked, and what happens if an error is found?
- 03How do you make sure staffing levels continue to match people's needs?
- 04How can residents and relatives give feedback, and what changes have been made as a result?
- 05How does the home work with health and social care professionals when concerns are identified?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings were carried forward from the last comprehensive inspection, published on 17 November 2017. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 November 2023 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 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 safety measures.
This was a targeted inspection on 7 February 2022. It looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19-related staffing pressures affected care.
Inspectors found arrangements for testing, vaccination checks, PPE, cleaning and managing outbreaks. They were assured that visitors and people using the home were protected from infection.
Families were supported to keep in touch with relatives. Visits were allowed during end-of-life care when the home was otherwise closed during an outbreak.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or ratings for most of the five questions.
Infection control
Inspectors found suitable arrangements for PPE, handwashing, cleaning, testing and managing COVID-19 outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider's infection prevention and control policy was up to date.” from the report
Family visiting
People were supported to keep regular contact with family and friends. Visits could continue for people receiving end-of-life care during an outbreak.
“Family members had been supported to visit relatives in receipt of end of life care, when the home had been closed to visitors, during a COVID-19 outbreak.” from the report
Outbreak planning
The home used zoning and cohorting during an outbreak to reduce the risk of infection spreading.
“The home during a COVID-19 outbreak had adopted zoning and cohorting measures to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.” from the report
Testing and vaccination checks
Staff took part in regular COVID-19 testing and vaccination status was recorded. Visiting professionals were also checked before entering.
“The service was meeting the requirement to ensure non-exempt staff and visiting professionals were vaccinated against COVID-19.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What is the home's current process for visits during a COVID-19 outbreak or other infection outbreak?
- 02How does the home now support visits for people receiving end-of-life care?
- 03How are staffing pressures monitored, and what happens if COVID-19-related absence affects staffing?
- 04When was the home's infection prevention and control policy last reviewed?
- 05What is the home's latest full CQC rating for areas not covered by this targeted inspection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not rate the other areas of the service. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 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 Vicarage
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 16 March 2011.
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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89 live-in carers within about an hour of North Northamptonshire
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. 76 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
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.