Riverside Care Home

Updated 5 November 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Act.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This inspection was completed by three inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Riverside Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Riverside Care Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection and we sought feedback from the local authority. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke with 10 people who used the service and 6 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spent time observing the daily life in the service and we looked around the building to check environmental safety and cleanliness.

We spoke with 10 members of staff including the registered manager, care staff and other ancillary staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 4 staff files in relation to recruitment and support. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 5 November 2022

About the service

Riverside Care Home is a residential care home which provides personal care to older people and people living with dementia. The service provides support to up to 50 people. At the time of our inspection there were 48 people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and their relatives were happy with the care they received. People’s needs were assessed and kept under regular review. People’s care plans described their preferences for receiving care and their preferences were respected by staff.

People’s care plans usually contained clear guidance for staff to follow. However, when people became anxious, agitated or distressed due to their mental health needs, their care plans needed to contain more information about how staff should support them in the most effective way. The provider agreed to address this issue.

People felt safe using the service. There were enough staff to keep people safe and deliver personal care in a timely manner. People’s medicines were managed safely, and suitable infection prevention and control measures were in place. Risks to people were assessed and kept under regular review. Staff supported people to maintain their health and they sought timely advice from health professionals, when necessary. People were encouraged to eat and drink enough, and people’s dietary requirements were catered for.

Staff were kind and caring and they treated people with respect. People were supported by staff who knew them well and encouraged them to remain involved in decisions about their care. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff welcomed people’s relatives into the home, to support people to maintain important relationships. People were supported to take part in a range of activities, to help them remain meaningfully occupied. People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint if they needed to, and the provider had a suitable system in place to act on any complaints they received.

The service had a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. There were systems in place to ensure the service was open and transparent with people. People were supported by staff who were appropriately trained and supervised. The staff felt well supported by the management team and enjoyed working at the service. The registered manager and provider had implemented suitable systems to monitor the quality and safety of the care provided.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 8 January 2020 and this was the first comprehensive inspection.

A focused inspection of this service was completed between 24 and 26 February 2021. We inspected the key questions, ‘is the service safe?’, ‘is the service effective?’ and ‘is the service well-led?’ only. The service was not awarded an overall rating at that inspection (published 22 March 2021).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the key question, ‘is the service safe?’. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.