CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Vicarage Residential Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People told inspectors they felt safe. There were enough staff, detailed risk assessments, safe medicines systems and infection control arrangements.
- Effective?
- Good
- People received care from trained and supported staff, and their health, nutrition and hydration were monitored. Inspectors recommended updating the training matrix to reflect completed training.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind, respectful and attentive. People were involved in decisions about their daily lives and care.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans recorded people's needs, preferences and communication requirements. The home provided activities, supported relationships and had a complaints process.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home was described as well managed, with approachable leaders, good communication and regular audits. The management team used feedback and incidents to support improvements.
What inspectors found, May 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with a minor gap in the staff training records.
This was an unannounced inspection on 10 May 2022. One inspector spoke with 13 people, seven staff members and other professionals. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff recruitment and supervision files, and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe and were happy with their care. Inspectors saw staff treating people kindly, spending time with them and respecting their choices and privacy.
The home had enough staff, safe medicines systems, detailed care plans and suitable infection control arrangements. People were supported with food, healthcare, activities, visitors and end of life care.
Inspectors recommended updating the training matrix so it matched staff training that had been completed. This was a recommendation, not a regulatory breach. The overall Good rating was unchanged from the previous inspection, published on 3 May 2018.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe, and staff understood how to recognise and report abuse. Staffing levels were considered sufficient to meet people's needs.
“There were sufficient numbers of staff employed and on duty to meet people's assessed needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw a relaxed atmosphere and good interaction between staff and people. Staff respected privacy, dignity, independence and personal choices.
“We observed staff respecting people's privacy, dignity and independence throughout the inspection.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's routines, preferences, health needs and communication needs. Staff knew people well and used this information to provide individual care.
“Care plans were person centred and detailed people's likes and dislikes and how best to deliver care and support.” from the report
Strong management and teamwork
Inspectors found visible and approachable management, clear responsibilities and good communication. The home used audits, feedback and incident reviews to improve care.
“There was a person-centred culture which kept people at the heart of the service.” from the report
Training records needed updating
minorStaff told inspectors about recent training, but the training matrix did not fully match what staff had completed or the certificates held. Inspectors recommended that this record be updated.
“However, this had not been updated to match what staff told us or the certificates held by staff on recent updates.” from the report
Activities had been disrupted
minorThe activity programme had been affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors said the home still had a range of activities and a designated activities coordinator.
“There had been some disruption to the activity programme during the COVID-19 pandemic.” from the report
- 01Has the training matrix now been updated to match staff training and certificates?
- 02What activities are currently available, and how are they matched to each person's interests?
- 03How are people's changing health needs recorded and passed to staff between shifts?
- 04How are families involved when a person's care needs or end of life wishes change?
- 05How can relatives raise a complaint, and how will the home respond?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control; the previous overall and key question ratings were Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 May 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, May 2018
Rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with activities being increased after some people reported boredom.
This was an unannounced inspection in March 2018. Inspectors observed care, spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care files, medicines records, audits and recruitment records. There were 29 people living at the home.
The home met all the legal requirements. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicine management, clean accommodation and suitable recruitment checks. Staff knew people well and treated them with kindness, dignity and respect.
Care plans were detailed and personalised. Staff responded to changes in people's health, involved families and worked with health professionals. People had activities and trips out, although some people said they had been bored recently.
The overall rating was Good, as were Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was an improvement from the previous inspection in March 2017, when the overall rating was Requires Improvement and concerns had been raised about recruitment, night staffing, admissions and quality checks.
Kind and attentive staff
Staff spent time with people, understood their communication needs and supported them patiently and respectfully.
“Staff were attentive to people's needs, knowing them well and interpreting body language.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were administered by trained staff and records were complete. Regular audits helped check medicines and stock.
“Medicines were well managed and administered using a computer system.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's preferences, routines and needs. Staff responded promptly when people's health or behaviour changed.
“People received care and support that was responsive to their personal care needs because staff had good knowledge of the people who lived at the home.” from the report
Some people felt bored
minorSome people said there had not been much going on recently. The activity co-ordinator was working fewer hours, but a new co-ordinator had been recruited and managers were addressing this.
“There's not a lot going on recently, I get bored at times” from the report
- 01What activities are currently available, and how do you make sure people who prefer to stay in their rooms are not isolated?
- 02How many staff are on duty during the day and at night, and how is this changed when someone's needs increase?
- 03How are families involved in reviewing care plans and making decisions when a person cannot communicate their wishes?
- 04How do you check that medicines are given correctly and that 'as required' medicines are only offered when needed?
- 05What changes have been made since the 2018 inspection, particularly to activities, staffing and quality checks?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions; Safe, Responsive and Well-led improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection, while Effective and Caring remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 May 2018 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 Vicarage Residential Home
5 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2015Inspected but not ratedSafe: Requires improvement
- June 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 December 2010.
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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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Plymouth
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.
8 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
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.