CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Riverside Place
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely, staff were available and safeguarding systems were in place. A booking requirement for visitors was not in line with current guidance, but it was removed immediately.
- Effective?
- Good
- People had needs assessments and current care plans. Staff received training and support, people were supported with food and drink, and health professionals were involved when needed.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and relatives described staff as kind, respectful and compassionate. Inspectors saw staff offering choices, seeking consent and protecting privacy and dignity.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and activities were available. Relatives were not always aware of planned activities, and the provider agreed to share activity plans more regularly.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The management team had improved quality checks, communication and the service culture. People, relatives and staff had opportunities to give feedback, although relatives wanted more involvement and updates.
What inspectors found, September 2022
Riverside Place rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements since the previous rated inspection.
This was an unannounced inspection on 26 July and 8 August 2022. One inspector spoke with six people, five relatives and nine staff. They also reviewed care, medicines, recruitment, training and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable care plans and good support from health professionals.
People and relatives described staff as kind, respectful and responsive. The home had improved its checks, management and communication since the last rated inspection in 2019. Inspectors found no evidence that the concerns which prompted this inspection had caused people harm.
Improved management
Inspectors found that the management team had made many improvements since the previous rated inspection. Quality checks and audits were described as robust.
“The registered manager and management team had made numerous improvements within the service since our last inspection.” from the report
Safe care and staffing
Risks were assessed and staff had guidance on reducing harm. Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and saw prompt responses to requests for help.
“The number of staff on duty was seen to be consistent with the dependency tool used and the planned rota.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives spoke positively about the care. Inspectors saw staff who were warm, friendly and respectful of people's individuality.
“Throughout the inspection we observed staff to be warm and friendly.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's backgrounds, preferences, health needs and communication needs. Plans were updated when people's needs or wishes changed.
“People received personalised care that reflected their needs and preferences.” from the report
Relatives' involvement in care reviews
needs fixingPeople and relatives said they had not always been involved in care plan reviews. The manager had identified this and invited relatives to take part.
“People, and their relatives, told us they were not consistently involved in reviews of care plan records.” from the report
Information about activities
minorRelatives were not always told about planned activities and events. The provider agreed to share activity plans with relatives more regularly.
“However, we received consistent feedback from relatives that they were not always aware of the activities or events planned at the service.” from the report
- 01How will you involve me in reviewing my relative's care plan, and how often can I take part?
- 02How will you keep relatives informed about activities and events?
- 03What are the current visiting arrangements, and can visits take place without booking in advance?
- 04How do you check that staffing levels remain enough when people's needs change?
- 05How are medicines, accidents and changes in risk checked and followed up?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions and infection prevention and control, with care, premises and management records reviewed. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 September 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, October 2020
Riverside Place was inspected but not rated; inspectors found safety checks and infection controls in place, while the previous Requires Improvement rating remains.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 26 August 2020. Two inspectors checked how people could summon help, whether staff carried out checks for people unable to use their call bells, and how infection risks were managed. They reviewed records for nine people, observed care and spoke with staff and the provider.
Inspectors found hourly checks for people in bedrooms, with more frequent checks where risks were higher. They found an electronic system to flag missed checks, staff present in communal areas, enough staff reported to meet people's needs, and measures to reduce infection risks, including PPE and visitor screening.
The inspection followed a serious incident in which a person sustained an injury and died. The report says the circumstances were subject to a criminal investigation and were not examined during this inspection. Inspectors found no evidence during this visit that people were at risk of harm from that concern.
This was not a full inspection and it did not give a new overall rating. The Safe question was inspected but not rated. The previous rating of Requires Improvement remains unchanged, and the service will be monitored until a future re-inspection.
Regular safety checks
People had checks at least hourly in their bedrooms, with more frequent checks for people at higher risk or who needed extra support.
“There were measures in place to ensure people were safe. Staff carried out hourly checks for people if they were in their bedrooms.” from the report
Checks were monitored
The electronic care planning system recorded checks and alerted the manager if allocated checks were missed.
“The electronic care planning system alerted the manager in case staff missed their allocated safety checks.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors found PPE, handwashing, visitor screening and infection control procedures in place.
“The provider had implemented robust infection control measures in the home. Staff were wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in the home and washed their hands regularly.” from the report
Staffing arrangements
Staff told inspectors there were enough staff to meet people's needs safely. Rotas were planned to cover vacancies and annual leave.
“Rotas were planned in advance to ensure any vacancies or annual leave could be covered and the home was not under staffed.” from the report
Serious incident was outside the inspection scope
seriousThe inspection followed a serious injury and death, but the report says the circumstances were not examined because of a criminal investigation.
“Following which a person using the service sustained a serious injury and died. This incident is subject to a criminal investigation.” from the report
- 01What actions have been completed since the last comprehensive inspection, when the Safe question was rated Requires Improvement?
- 02How are missed safety checks identified, investigated and followed up?
- 03How often are checks increased for people at high risk of falls or people who cannot use their call bell?
- 04What current infection control measures are in place for visitors, PPE, testing and admissions?
- 05What information can you share about the serious incident that prompted this inspection, given that its circumstances were not examined in this report?
This was a targeted inspection of specific Safe concerns and infection prevention and control; it did not assess the other key questions or the whole Safe question, so previous ratings carry over. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 October 2020 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Riverside Place
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- September 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2019Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 14 September 2018.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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