- Care home
Rievaulx House Care Centre
Assessment report published 24 August 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Assessment Date: 20 and 21 July 2026.
Rievaulx House Care Centre is a care home providing support to older people, including people living with dementia.
People received care from staff who knew them well and treated them with kindness, compassion and respect. People and relatives gave largely positive feedback and said call bells were answered promptly. Care plans were generally person-centred, detailed and regularly reviewed, and people had access to external health professionals, including GPs and district nurses. Medicines were managed safely and staff understood people’s health and medication needs. Staff supported people’s independence, choices and communication needs, including using pictorial tools, translation technology and producing information in different languages to support inclusion.
There were areas where improvements were needed. People and relatives were not always clearly involved in care plan reviews or aware these reviews were taking place. Some records for people who needed regular repositioning were incomplete, which meant the registered manager could not always be assured planned care had been delivered. Some parts of the environment required maintenance, including carpets, locks and radiator covers. Furthermore, governance systems had not always identified or ensured timely action on these issues. Staff also described pressure at work due to staffing levels and some challenges with departments working together.
The registered manager was open, approachable and committed to improvement. Governance systems, audits and daily oversight were in place but not wholly effective, and the service worked well with community and health partners. The management team responded promptly to concerns raised during the assessment and demonstrated a focus on improving outcomes, safety, inclusion, people’s quality of life, staff well-being due to staffing pressures.
People's experience of this service
People had a positive experience of living at the service. Most people told us they were very happy living there, and people and relatives described staff as kind, respectful and caring. One person said, “I am so lucky to be here” and another said staff were ‘never rude, sharp or unkind to us.’
People told us they felt safe and that staff responded promptly when they needed support. People said there were enough staff, and relatives told us they did not usually have to wait long when they used the call bell. One person said, “If I need the staff to help me, I buzz… they do come, usually within 5 minutes or so.” People also told us staff knew how to support them, and that they received their medicines on time.
People were supported with dignity and respect. They told us staff asked for consent before providing care, protected their privacy, knocked before entering rooms and did not rush them. One person said, “When the staff are with me, I feel I am the only person.” People were generally able to make choices about their day-to-day routines, although 2 people described some limitations around when they got up, went to bed or received personal care.
People enjoyed the food and said they had choices at mealtimes, with drinks and snacks offered throughout the day. One person said, “My compliments to the chef… We get a choice.” However, one relative felt there was not enough choice for their family member’s preferences.
People had opportunities to take part in varied activities, including bingo, dominoes, quizzes, word searches, trips out, visiting entertainers and time in the garden. People said they enjoyed these opportunities and valued being able to spend time outside when the weather was good.
People and relatives knew who the manager was and felt able to raise concerns. People said the home was well run and that any concerns would be listened to. One person said, “There is nothing to complain about, it’s perfect.” Overall, the service had a warm and inclusive atmosphere where people were treated as individuals and staff engagement was caring, respectful and focused on people’s wellbeing.