- Care home
Belvedere House
Assessment report published 27 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 3 September 2026
Belvedere House is a care home, providing personal and nursing care to older people, people living with dementia, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. Belvedere House is operated by the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, a registered charity established in 1865 to provide care for aged, infirm, or disabled seamen, their spouses and partners and provides care to the general public. The service can accommodate up to 68 people. At the time of the assessment, 61 people were using the service.
Concerns were identified relating to medicines management, record keeping, safeguarding, good governance, and mental capacity assessments not being completed in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Medicines were not always managed safely, including expired medicines being present and incomplete recording of opening dates on liquid medicines. Records relating to care planning, risk management and fluid monitoring were inconsistent and not always readily accessible. Care plans and risk assessments did not always contain accurate or complete information, including omissions relating to catheter care. We also found statutory notifications were not consistently submitted to CQC.
These concerns demonstrated that governance and oversight systems were not operating effectively to identify, assess and address risks, and increased the risk that people may not receive safe, consistent and person-centred care. We found the service in breach of regulations related to safe care and treatment, notification of other incidents and good governance.
Staff spoke positively about working at the service. Staff understood how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns and told us they felt confident to do so. Accidents and incidents were investigated and reviewed to support learning. Staff worked collaboratively with external health and social care professionals to help ensure people received appropriate care and support. Staff commented on the wide range of training available which they found relevant to their roles. Staff were recruited through good processes and the provider had ensured there were sufficient staff on duty each day to meet the needs of people
The registered manager was responsive when concerns were identified. They clearly communicated the actions they would take to mitigate risks and demonstrated a positive willingness to learn, reflect and improve the service.
People's experience of this service
People and their loved ones spoke positively about their experience of the service. People said they felt safe around the staff and felt reassured by the security measures in place, including coded access on doors.
People and relatives spoke positively about the way staff treated people. They told us staff were kind and caring and they were supported to retain their independence.
People said they were happy with the cleanliness of the service. A person told us, “My room is wonderfully clean and tidy. I have a lovely room.” A relative said, “The premises and his room are very clean. My mother is fastidious about cleanliness and she’s never complained about the cleanliness of the home.”
During the inspection, we observed people had sufficient food and drink, and staff worked with them to maintain their health and wellbeing.
People said they received the medicines they were prescribed. They told us they did not have to wait long if they used their call bell to request support and there were activities and outings and they had the choice whether or not to join in.