- Independent hospital
Rivers Hospital
Assessment report published 14 October 2026
Contents
Ratings - Outpatients
Our view of the service
As part of our comprehensive assessment of Rivers Hospital, we inspected the outpatient service on 15 April 2026.
During the assessment, we spoke with 5 patients, 10 family members and 15 staff, including managers, nurses, healthcare assistants and consultants.
The service provided safe, effective and person‑centred care. Patients told us staff were kind, respectful and involved them in decisions about their care. Staff explained treatment options clearly and supported people to make informed choices. Waiting times were generally low, and flexible appointment times helped people access care.
Staff worked well together to deliver coordinated care across services. The service monitored patient outcomes and feedback and used this to improve care. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, and staff told us they felt able to develop in their roles.
However, the service’s governance systems were not always used consistently. Team meetings did not always take place as planned, some policies were out of date, and there was limited evidence that all audits were completed. Out‑of‑date policies had also been identified at the provider’s previous inspection in 2019, which showed improvements had not always been sustained.
We also found gaps in clinical record keeping, where assessments were not always recorded onto patient’s medical record in a timely way. While staff managed high levels of activity and adapted to changes, clinics sometimes ran late. This increased pressure on staff and made planning more difficult.
Leaders had started to take action to address these issues. This included recording overrunning clinics as incidents, carrying out additional audits and reinforcing expectations around record keeping.
People's experience of this service
During our assessment, we spoke with patients and family members who gave positive feedback about the service. People told us staff were kind, respectful and made them feel comfortable during their visit. They said staff explained their care clearly and took time to answer questions, which helped them feel involved in decisions about their treatment.
We observed clinics with patients’ consent. We saw staff treat people with dignity and compassion and respond promptly to their needs. Patients told us they were able to access appointments in a timely way and valued the flexibility of clinic times.