The Old Vicarage

Updated 17 October 2024

Date of Assessment: 28 October to 8 November 2024. The Old Vicarage is a residential care home providing personal care for up to 4 autistic people. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. There were 4 people were using the home. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. Staff worked in very creative ways to introduce more food types into people’s diets, and this was working well. We observed staff treated people with dignity and kindness. People were supported to experience a wide range of activities and broaden their horizons. Relatives and professionals were impressed by how staff were supporting people to be involved in decisions and get enjoyment from their lives. The registered manager promoted a learning culture. Staff had access to an extensive range of training, which included mandatory and condition specific training. Staff found the training really supported them to provide the best care possible for the people who used the service. Staff followed the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and associated code of practice guidance. They ensured the assessments were completed in a timely manner and were accurate. The care records clearly detailed people’s needs and were written in a person-centred manner. An effective quality assurance system was in place. The registered manager ensured the service put people first. They encouraged people to share their views and always looked to see what improvements could be made. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience to meet people’s needs. Staff managed medicines well. Staff consistently reported the registered manager was approachable and really encouraged them to go the extra mile.

Updated 17 October 2024

Most people living in the service had very limited verbal communication skills. We used a structured observation tool to assess whether they received good care. This approach showed people were included, listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them. We observed staff worked with people in a sensitive, caring and considerate manner. They encouraged people to be as independent as possible and really encouraged them to reach their full potential. Staff understood peoples’ communication styles and actively supported individuals to share their views. Staff were sensitive to changes in people’s mood and clearly knew how to assist in de-escalating any distress individuals experienced. Most relatives found the service had really enhanced individuals’ quality of life. People who were able to share their views were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of their care. One person said, “[Staff] are brilliant, and it is great here.” They told us how extremely caring and supportive the staff were and how they had assisted them to get out and enjoy their life. A person said, “The staff are always there to help me, and we go out every day. Today I’m going out for lunch and then to a charity shop to buy some DVDs, which I love doing.” Relatives told us about the positive impact the service had had on their lives. A relative said, “This placement has been the making of [person’s name] who now has gained living skills - they will never be independent, but this is the closest they will come. We can only judge his happiness by [person’s name] behaviours and as long as they are happy and settled, so are we.” Relatives felt able to complain and were confident action would be taken and improvements would be made. One relative said, “We are regularly involved in [person’s name] care plan and any concerns we have are discussed regularly. If need be adjustments made, we feel our views/concerns are always acknowledged and not only listened too but heard.”