Old Rectory Care Home

What families say

Based on 19 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth72
• Compassion & dignity74
• Cleanliness68
• Activities & engagement88
• Food quality62
• Healthcare70
• Management & leadership72
• Resident happiness78

What inspectors found

Inspected 2021-07-10 · Report published 2021-07-10

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the May 2021 inspection. This rating covers staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, and how the home responds to safeguarding concerns. The published summary does not record specific numbers for staffing ratios or night cover. No significant safety concerns were identified by inspectors.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good Safe rating is reassuring but does not answer the questions families most often ask. Our review data shows that consistent, attentive staffing is one of the clearest signals of safety families notice, yet the published findings give no detail about night staffing numbers or agency reliance for this 35-bed home. Good Practice research from the Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review identifies night staffing as the point where safety most often slips in residential care. Because the inspection is now over three years old, it is especially important to ask these questions directly rather than relying on the rating alone.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University rapid evidence review found that night staffing levels and agency staff reliance are two of the strongest predictors of safety incidents in care homes, yet they are among the least visible to families visiting during the day.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota for last week, not a template. Count how many permanent staff were on night shifts and whether any agency names appear. For a 35-bed home with a dementia specialism, ask specifically how many staff are on duty between 10pm and 6am."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good at the May 2021 inspection. This domain covers training, care planning, access to healthcare professionals, and nutrition. Dementia is listed as a specialism, which means inspectors will have looked at whether staff have appropriate dementia-specific training. The published summary does not provide detail about GP access frequency, specific training programmes, or how care plans are reviewed over time.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good Effective rating tells you that inspectors were satisfied with how the home manages training, care plans, and healthcare access. What it does not tell you is how recently care plans are reviewed, whether your parent's GP would be involved in regular health reviews, or what the dementia training actually covers. Our review data shows that families place healthcare access among the top concerns (20.2% weighting), and Good Practice evidence emphasises that care plans should be living documents updated as needs change, not filed away after admission. The home supports adults under 65 as well as older adults, so ask how care is personalised for different age groups and conditions.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that regular, structured involvement of GPs and specialist health professionals in care planning significantly improves outcomes for people with dementia, particularly in managing pain, behaviour changes, and physical health alongside cognitive decline.","watch_out":"Ask the manager: when was the care plan for the last person admitted reviewed after their first month, and who was involved in that review? You are looking for evidence that families are included, that the plan changed as the person settled in, and that a GP or other professional contributed."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good at the May 2021 inspection. This domain covers staff warmth, respect for privacy and dignity, and whether residents are treated as individuals. A Good rating means inspectors were satisfied that these standards were being met. The published summary does not include specific inspector observations or direct quotes from residents or relatives about their experience of care.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of family satisfaction in our review data, appearing in 57.3% of positive reviews. Compassion and dignity come second at 55.2%. A Good Caring rating is a positive baseline, but the absence of specific observations or quotes in the published summary means you cannot rely on the rating alone to know how staff actually behave day to day. Good Practice research is clear that non-verbal communication, using preferred names, moving without rushing, and acknowledging distress, matters as much as formal care procedures for people with dementia. These things are best observed in person, not read in a report.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that for people living with dementia, the quality of moment-to-moment interaction with staff, particularly non-verbal cues such as pace, eye contact, and tone, has a greater impact on wellbeing than structured care interventions.","watch_out":"On your visit, sit in a communal area for at least 20 minutes without being guided to a meeting room. Watch whether staff greet residents by name, whether they crouch to eye level when speaking to someone seated, and whether anyone with dementia who appears unsettled is acknowledged promptly and gently."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Outstanding

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Outstanding at the May 2021 inspection. This is the strongest finding in the report and covers how well the home tailors daily life, activities, and care to each person as an individual. An Outstanding rating requires inspectors to find specific, compelling evidence of person-centred practice rather than standard compliance. The published summary does not reproduce the detail behind this rating, but the assessment itself is significant. The home supports a wide range of needs including dementia, mental health conditions, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"An Outstanding Responsive rating is genuinely meaningful. Activities engagement features in 21.4% of positive family reviews, and resident happiness in 27.1%. Inspectors do not award Outstanding lightly; this rating requires concrete evidence that the home responds to individuals rather than running a one-size programme. Good Practice research highlights tailored one-to-one engagement, Montessori-based approaches, and the involvement of everyday household tasks as markers of excellent responsiveness for people with dementia. However, because the inspection is now over three years old, it is worth checking whether the activities coordinator or key staff responsible for this work are still in post.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found strong evidence that individualised activity programmes, particularly those incorporating familiar domestic tasks and personal history, significantly reduce distress and improve quality of life for people with dementia, while group-only programmes show weaker outcomes.","watch_out":"Ask to see the activities schedule for the current week, then ask specifically what happens for a resident with advanced dementia who cannot join a group session. You want a concrete answer about one-to-one engagement, not a general assurance that everyone is included."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good at the May 2021 inspection. The registered manager is Ms Cheryl Marie Waters, and the nominated individual is Mr Anand Ajay Sodha. This domain covers management visibility, staff culture, governance, and whether the home learns from incidents and complaints. A July 2023 review of available data found no reason to change the rating. The published summary does not detail management tenure, staff turnover, or specific governance processes.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of care quality over time, according to Good Practice research. A Good Well-led rating is reassuring, but the key question for you is whether the manager who impressed inspectors in May 2021 is still in post and still visible on the floor. Our review data shows that communication with families features in 11.5% of positive reviews, yet the published findings give no detail about how the home keeps families informed or involved. The inspection is now more than three years old, and management changes in that period would not be captured in the published rating.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that manager tenure and stability are among the strongest predictors of sustained care quality, and that homes where staff feel able to raise concerns without fear show consistently better outcomes for residents.","watch_out":"Ask the manager directly: how long have you been in post at this home, and what is the current rate of staff turnover? If the manager named in the 2021 report has left, ask who replaced them and when. Also ask how the home tells families when something goes wrong, such as a fall or a change in health."}

  Verified by inspector

Source: CQC inspection report →

What the evidence base says

Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The home welcomes residents with dementia, physical disabilities, mental health conditions and sensory impairments. They care for adults both under and over 65, providing tailored support for each person's specific needs.. Gaps or open questions remain on The team here takes a patient, structured approach to dementia care. They maintain consistent daily routines while staying alert to any health changes that might need attention. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.