Archived: The Old Vicarage

Updated 12 October 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 9 August 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection team included one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. Their area of expertise was learning disability.

As part of the inspection we looked at the information we held about the service. This included statutory notifications, which are notifications the provider must send us to inform us of certain events. The provider had sent us a Provider Information Return (PIR) before the inspection. A PIR is a form that asks the provider to give key information about the home, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also contacted the local authority and commissioners for information they held about the service. This helped us to plan the inspection.

During the inspection we carried out observations of the care and support people received. We met and spoke with five people who lived at the home, five staff members, and four relatives. Following the inspection visit we spoke with the registered manager for the service. We looked at records about people’s care and support, medicine records, and systems used for monitoring quality.

Updated 12 October 2016

This inspection was unannounced and took place on 9 August 2016. At the last inspection in May 2014, we found the provider was meeting all of the requirements of the regulations we reviewed.

The Old Vicarage is registered to provide accommodation for up to six adults with learning disabilities who require personal care and support. On the day of the inspection there were six people living at the home. There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Relatives told us they felt people living at the home were safe. Staff understood their responsibilities in keeping people safe from harm, and knew how to report any concerns. There were enough staff to support people living at the home, and staff had the right level of knowledge, skills and experience. Staff received training that was relevant to their role. The provider had effective recruitment processes in place and carried out appropriate checks on staff before they were able to start supporting people. People received their medicines as prescribed and systems to manage medicines were effective.

People were asked for their consent before care was provided. People’s care and support was planned in a way that did not restrict their rights and freedom. People enjoyed the food and were supported to have enough to eat and drink. People were supported to access healthcare professionals when required and staff understood the importance of following direction given by other agencies.

Relatives told us they felt their family members were supported by staff who were kind and caring. Staff understood people’s individual needs and preferences and people’s privacy and dignity was respected. People were supported to develop and maintain their independence.

People were supported to take part in activities that interested them. Where people’s needs changed, staff took action to ensure people received care that was appropriate to meet their needs. People’s relatives felt confident to complain if they were unhappy and there was a system in place for handling complaints.

Relatives and staff expressed confidence in the registered manager and felt they were listened to when they gave feedback. People felt able to express their views and opinions. There were systems in place to manage the quality of the service and regular audits were carried out which were effective in improving standards of care.